Father John Misty Rails Against 'Bulls--t' N. Carolina 'Bathroom Bill'

Father John Misty, the folk singer-songwriter whose real name is Josh Tillman, tells Rolling Stone that he will donate the proceeds of his April 27th show at the Fillmore Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina to Time Out Youth, a Charlotte-based LGBT support center. 

High-profile artists like Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Pearl Jam and Boston have canceled upcoming North Carolina concerts in protest of the controversial HB2 bill, which was signed into law March 23rd. The so-called "bathroom bill" would allow North Carolina businesses to deny service to the LGBT community and force transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond to their birth gender. 

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Tillman said that playing the North Carolina concert doesn't mean he endorses the bill.

"The bill is obviously bullshit," Tillman said. "[If] I thought playing a show for my fans in North Carolina was in any way some tacit endorsement of this fearful, petty, ignorant nonsense, I wouldn't. I also play states that have oppressive drug laws designed to imprison the disenfranchised, rig elections, deny women their dignity, defend the reckless and insane practice of selling guns and sustain a permanent underclass with hypocritical, opportunist readings of archaic documents written by land-stealers who never intended political privilege to extend past their buddies.

"These are obviously all huge systemic problems," he adds. "But for me, this show represents a start in investing in the plight of other Americans."

Tillman is one of numerous performers donating the proceeds of their concerts to LGBT-supporting foundations and charities. Last week, Cyndi Lauper wrote on her website that she will donate the profits of her June 4th concert in Raleigh, North Carolina to Equality North Carolina, an organization working to repeal HB2.