Following the lead of fellow high-profile artists like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas have canceled two upcoming shows in North Carolina in protest of the states House Bill 2, aka "the bathroom bill." As part of their Honda Civic Tour: Future Now, the pair were scheduled to perform in Charlotte (June 30) and Raleigh (July 2). In a statement via GLAAD, Lovato said she wants their trek to have an atmosphere "where every single attendee feels equal, included, and accepted for who they are." House Bill 2, which was passed in March, limits the rights of the LGBT community. In addition to preventing local governments from passing their own anti-discrimination laws, it requires that transgender people use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their "biological sex." "North Carolina’s discriminatory HB2 law is extremely disappointing, and it takes away some of the LGBT community's most basic rights and protections," Lovato said in the statement. "But we will not allow this to stop us from continuing to make progress for equality and acceptance. We know the cancelation of these shows is disappointing to our fans, but we trust that you will stand united with us against this hateful law." Springsteen was the first major act to cancel a show in the state. In a statement at the time, he said pulling out "is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards." But some artists, like Father John Misty, have chosen instead to proceed with shows in the state and to donate all proceeds to the effort to repeal House Bill 2. "[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," he wrote in a statement. "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." Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. TopicsMusic