CHAPEL HILL, N.C. _ The University of Vermont has canceled a women's basketball game at North Carolina in protest of North Carolina's controversial House Bill 2 law, the Vermont athletic department announced on Thursday.
House Bill 2, better known as HB2, limits anti-discrimination protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The law also mandates that on state property people use the bathroom that corresponds to the gender on their birth certificate.
"We strive very hard to create an inclusive climate for our students and staff in which they all can feel safe, respected, and valued," Vermont athletic director Jeff Schulman said in a statement. "It would be hard to fulfill these obligations while competing in a state with this law, which is contrary to our values as an athletic department and university."
The Tar Heels and Catamounts had been scheduled to play in Chapel Hill on Dec. 28. UNC had agreed to pay Vermont a guarantee of $17,500.
HB2 has led to the cancellation of several concerts and athletic events. The NBA last month announced that it was pulling its All-Star Game out of Charlotte because of the law. The game will now be played in New Orleans.
Last month, Albany announced it was canceling a men's basketball game at Duke because of HB2. Duke had been scheduled to host Albany on Nov. 12. In canceling the game, Albany referenced New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's decree to ban non-essential travel to North Carolina for state institutions.
