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Lizzo and Live Nation pledge a million to reproductive rights organisations after Roe v Wade over-turned

By | Published on Monday 27 June 2022

Lizzo

Lizzo and Live Nation together pledged $1 million to reproductive healthcare organisation Planned Parenthood and abortion rights organisations in the US this weekend following the American Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade judgement.

That 1973 judgement ruled that the US constitution protected a pregnant woman’s right to choose to have an abortion up to a certain point in her pregnancy, and in doing so overruled laws that restricted or banned abortion in various US states.

The current Supreme Court deciding to overturn that judgement – and in doing so rejecting nearly 50 years of legal precedent in the US – means that abortion can once again be restricted or banned at a state level, with severe restrictions or outright bans now anticipated in up to a half of US states.

The judgement – and the appointment by former President Donald Trump of three conservative judges in recent years that allowed the shift in position on this issue within the court – has been very controversial, of course. And many in the music community have criticised both the Supreme Court decision and moves within many US states to now enforce or introduce draconian anti-abortion laws.

That includes Lizzo, who stated on Twitter on Saturday: “I’m pledging $500k from my upcoming tour to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Rights. Live Nation agreed to match – to make it one million dollars”.

She also told fans: “Black women and women of colour have historically had disproportionately less access to family planning resources – this is a great loss but not a new one. Go to lizzolovesyou.com to donate, sign the Bans Off My Body petition and sign up to volunteer and take action”.

Confirming its donation as the promoter of Lizzo’s upcoming tour, Live Nation stated: “We stand with women – we are partnering with artists on support, including matching Lizzo’s donation to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Rights”.

In addition to that, the live giant added: “We are covering travel expenses for our employees who need access to women’s healthcare services outside their home state. We are supporting community activism and will cover bail expenses if any of our employees are arrested for protesting peacefully”.

And, it concluded: “Our Live Nation Women team is working on initiatives to support voter registration and turnout”.

Elsewhere, Rage Against The Machine announced that they would donate monies raised from Wisconsin and Illinois dates on their upcoming tour to reproductive rights organisations in those states.

They wrote on social media: “We are disgusted by the repeal of Roe v Wade and the devastating impact it will have on tens of millions of people. Over half of the country (26 states) is likely to ban or seriously restrict abortion very soon, if not immediately, which will have a disproportionate impact on poor, working class and undocumented black, indigenous and other people of colour communities”.

“Like the many women who have organised sophisticated railroads of resistance to challenge these attacks on our collective reproductive freedom”, they added, “we must continue to resist”.

On stage protests against the overturning of Roe v Wade were also a frequent feature of sets at the Glastonbury Festival over the weekend, with artists including Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, Years & Years and many more speaking out. Olivia Rodrigo also brought Lily Allen on stage to perform a version of the British singer’s song ‘Fuck You’, dedicated to the US Supreme Court.



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