Pop stars Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato have joined the growing list of musical acts who are refusing to play in North Carolina to protest a new law that many say discriminates against transgender people.
The duo have been touring the country with Mike Posner, but decided to cancel their June 30 show in Charlotte and July 2 show in Raleigh.
Jonas and Lovato both posted the same message to Twitter with a call to #RepealHB2.
#RepealHB2 pic.twitter.com/cXwWeo2lVP
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) April 25, 2016
The entertainment industry has been railing against the Tar Heel State ever since Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill that overturned an anti-discrimination ordinance and declared that residents of North Carolina must use the bathroom and locker room that corresponds with their birth gender.
Many believe the law is specifically targeting transgender people, who now will not be able to use the public facility of their choice.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Ringo Starr and Pearl Jam have all cancelled concerts in the state. Jimmy Buffett condemned the law, but wouldn’t cancel his upcoming shows — though he said he probably wouldn’t come back unless HB2 is repealed.
Cirque du Soleil cancelled three North Carolina shows, and “Wicked” writer Stephen Schwartz is denying Tar Heel State theaters the rights to perform his shows.
The NBA is currently deciding whether to continue doing business in North Carolina or not, which could affect both the 2016-17 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte and the future of the Charlotte Hornets.
Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are split on the issue. While Trump said the law isn’t worth the “strife and the economic punishment” the state is taking, Cruz defended HB2, saying, “Men should not be going to the bathroom with little girls.
