From the moment after Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed Senate Bill 101 — the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act — during a private ceremony Thursday morning, LGBT people and our allies began blasting the new law, which allows businesses or individuals to deny service to anyone who allegedly offends their religious beliefs.
Out actor George Takei — who had condemned the bill before the governor signed it into law — was one of the first, calling for a boycott of Indiana with the hashtag #BoycottIndiana:
\u201cOutraged over Indiana Freedom to Discriminate law, signed today. LGBTs aren't 2nd class citizens. #BoycottIndiana #Pence\u201d— George Takei (@George Takei) 1427389846
The hashtag quickly picked up steam on Twitter and social media, with a variety of celebrities amplifying the call for a statewide boycott. At press time, the hashtag was trending on Twitter at the number 3 spot. Meanwhile, a petition at MoveOn.org demanding a recall election for Gov. Pence has more than 72,000 signatures at press time.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, the only out LGBT CEO of any Fortune 500 company, said he and his team were "deeply disappointed" in Indiana's new law, and called on lawmakers in Cook's home state of Arkansas to reject a similar bill currently making its way through the legislature there:
\u201cApple is open for everyone. We are deeply disappointed in Indiana's new law and calling on Arkansas Gov. to veto the similar #HB1228.\u201d— Tim Cook (@Tim Cook) 1427479004
\u201cAround the world, we strive to treat every customer the same \u2014 regardless of where they come from, how they worship or who they love.\u201d— Tim Cook (@Tim Cook) 1427479085
Gay author, father, and founder of the It Gets Better Project, Dan Savage, joined the conversation in typically uncensored style:
\u201cShitty governor makes shitty state even shittier by signing shitty legislation. https://t.co/B4srqJ4jXD #SB101\u201d— Dan Savage (@Dan Savage) 1427388720
Legendary gay rights activist Cleve Jones joined the call for a boycott, pointing to his family's "deep roots" in Indiana:
\u201cMy family has deep roots in Indiana. I was born there and have always been proud to be a Hoosier. Now, not so much. #BoycottIndiana\u201d— Cleve Jones (@Cleve Jones) 1427425402
Betty Bowers, a YouTube personality who satirically claims to be "America's Best Christian," had more than a few words — and images — to illustrate her call for a boycott:
\u201cIf a True Christian\u2122 discriminates against you it's FREEDOM. If you return the favor it's PERSECUTION #BoycottIndiana\u201d— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@Mrs. Betty Bowers) 1427427258
\u201cBoycotting Indiana is like boycotting prison. It's disingenuous pretending I would ever want to go there in the first place! #BoycottIndiana\u201d— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@Mrs. Betty Bowers) 1427425803
\u201cWelcome to Indiana, where you are legally encouraged to be rude to people. #BoycottIndiana\u201d— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@Mrs. Betty Bowers) 1427463176
But this might be our favorite meme about the law's not-so-subtle intentions:
\u201c.@GovPenceIN's #SB101: Think of it like Sharia law\u2014but it GOOD because it\u2019s #Christian\u2014not Muslim. #tcot #LGBT\u201d— Memeographs (@Memeographs) 1427383673
Out tennis star and newlywed Martina Navratilova also pointed to the lopsided nature of the legislation:
\u201cNow in Indiana,thanks to Gov.Pence, we have freedom of \u201creligion\u201d,aka legalized homophobia, and no freedom from \u201creligion\u201d\u201d— Martina Navratilova (@Martina Navratilova) 1427461936
Actor Ashton Kutcher weighed in about the possible unforeseen consequences of the law, which does not specifically mention LGBT people, but allows individuals and businesses to refuse to serve anyone if they claim doing so would "substantially burden" their free exercise of religion:
\u201cIndiana are you also going to allow Christian establishments to ban Jews from coming in? Or Vice Versa? Religious freedom??? #OUTRAGE\u201d— ashton kutcher (@ashton kutcher) 1427416822
Comedienne and LGBT ally Kathy Griffin highlighted the anti-business implications of the law by linking to an open letter from Jeremy Stoppelman, the CEO of Yelp to other states considering similar laws:
\u201cGood read frm YELP dude #BoycottIndiana RT @jeremys: An Open Letter 2 States Considering Imposing Discrimination Laws https://t.co/y4GsIlSf4N\u201d— Kathy Griffin (@Kathy Griffin) 1427440177
Other prominent LGBT people and allies stopped short of calling for a boycott, while still making their feelings about Indiana's new "right to discriminate" law quite clear. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who famously told the United Nations that "gay rights are human rights," expressed her disappointment in the new law:
\u201cSad this new Indiana law can happen in America today. We shouldn't discriminate against ppl bc of who they love #LGBT https://t.co/mDhpS18oEH\u201d— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1427419934
Andy Cohen, the out host of Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, brought his own signature sarcasm to the news of Indiana's now-legal discrimination:
\u201cI can now legally be denied service in Indiana because I am gay, or Jewish? Am I right, @GovPenceIN? Sounds like a fun place to visit!\u201d— Andy Cohen (@Andy Cohen) 1427462545
Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter and LGBT advocate Dustin Lance Black slammed the governor, saying he was "not courageous."
\u201cA sad day for all in #INDIANA. Gov.Pence, you did not lead today. You were not courageous. You took the path of... https://t.co/meHBLHIf78\u201d— Dustin Lance Black (@Dustin Lance Black) 1427393489
Pop star and LGBT ally Miley Cyrus didn't mince words in a Thursday post on Instagram that featured a photo of Gov. Pence:
Broadway star Audra McDonald sounded off with an epic Twitter rant directed at the governor, noting that some members in her band are gay, and asking: "Should we call ahead to make sure the hotel accepts us all? Or could you maybe send us a list of where it's okay for us to go? Might the law apply to me? (I'm black). Or maybe I should fire my gay band members just to be on the safe side. Or MAYBE... We need to stick to singing in states that don't legislate hate?"
Legendary TV host Larry King called Indiana's new law "absurd and insulting."
\u201cIndiana's anti-gay 'Religious Freedom' bill signed by Gov. Pence is absurd & insulting. This is 2015. Ridiculous. #RFRA\u201d— Larry King (@Larry King) 1427420220
Actor James Van Der Beek sent a series of tweets, tying his message to "Throwback Thursday" by sharing a photo he took four years ago for the NOH8 campaign:
Cindy Ord/Getty Images
