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Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace Burns Her Birth Certificate During a North Carolina Show

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Laura Jane Grace attends the 36th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards at David Geffen Hall on September 28, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

There’s been no shortage of artists protesting North Carolina’s horrendous House Bill 2: Bruce Springsteen canceled a scheduled show in the state last month and Beyoncé spoke out against the bill (although she still held her performance). The most recent notable protest comes from Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace.

During her show last night at Motorco Music Hall, Grace burned her birth certificate onstage. Fan footage captured the crowd cheering during singer’s symbolic gesture. “Goodbye, gender,” Grace said with a smile.

Grace said in an April interview with BuzzFeed that she planned to make an “event” out of her show in North Carolina instead of simply canceling it. “When you feel targeted as a trans person, the natural inclination is to go into hiding,” Grace said. “But visibility is more important than ever; to go there and have the platform of a stage to stand on and speak your mind and represent yourself.”

The House Bill 2, among other injustices, prevents transgender people from using bathrooms and locker rooms that do not match the “biological sex” listed on their birth certificate.

Watch the powerful footage below.