Pop star Olivia Rodrigo said abortion restrictions are less about protecting life and more about controlling women’s bodies, arguing in a series of conversations with reproductive rights advocates that such laws amount to being “pro-control.”
Ms. Rodrigo sat down with Center for Reproductive Rights President and CEO Nancy Northup, along with attorneys Autumn Katz, Nimra Chowdhry and Meetra Mehdizadeh, for interviews released this week discussing the legal landscape surrounding reproductive rights in the U.S. and the impact of abortion restrictions following the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision. The pop star has been an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights for years.
During the discussions, Ms. Katz described what it’s like connecting with women who live in states with abortion bans, and the group discussed the case of Amanda Zurawski, who nearly died of sepsis after being denied abortion care. Responding to accounts of women facing medical emergencies under such laws, Ms. Rodrigo said it’s “not very pro-life to harm these women’s health for the long term.”
The singer also pressed the Center’s attorneys on restrictions targeting mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions. The Center’s representatives said anti-abortion groups continue pushing for additional restrictions on the drug despite research supporting its safety, and noted medication abortions now account for roughly 63% of abortions in the U.S.
In a separate segment, Ms. Rodrigo asked why states like Georgia maintain strict limits on midwives despite high maternal mortality rates. Senior Attorney Hillary Schneller told her that Black women die from pregnancy-related causes at roughly three times the rate of white women, and said expanding access to midwifery could help close that gap.
The interviews are tied to Ms. Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival, set for Aug. 29 at Great Park in Irvine, Calif. The Center for Reproductive Rights is one of 10 nonprofit partners participating in the festival’s Philanthropy Village, alongside groups including Planned Parenthood.
Billed as an all-women lineup inspired by Lilith Fair, the one-day event will feature Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Garbage, Bikini Kill, the Breeders and Stevie Nicks, among others. Announcing the festival last month, Ms. Rodrigo wrote that she had “had a dream of doing this festival for years” and that 100% of net proceeds would go to charities supporting women and girls.
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