Olivia Rodrigo says laws restricting reproductive rights are "terrifying"

Olivia Rodrigo has said that laws restricting reproductive rights are "terrifying" and that abortion bans are "pro-control" rather than "pro-life".

The singer sat down in a panel discussion with the President and CEO of the Center For Reproductive Rights, Nancy Northup, as well as legal and policy experts Meetra Mehdizadeh, Autumn Katz and Nimra Chowdhry on July 21.

Rodrigo's discussion with the Center for Reproductive Rights explored the impact of abortion restrictions, following the 2022 Supreme Court Dobbs decision. The decision established that the US constitution does not confer a right to abortion and returns the authority to regulate or ban abortion to individual states.

"What's their experience like?" Rodrigo asked Autumn Katz, about women in states with abortion bans.

"Honestly, it's brutal out there" Katz answered, referencing the Rodrigo hit.

"[Our client] Amanda Zurawski testified in court about nearly dying of sepsis before she was finally able to get the abortion care that she needed to save her life. She was in the ICU for three days and her fertility, because of the illness she endured, was impacted [as well as] her ability to get pregnant again."

Among the topics discussed were the restrictive midwifery laws in Georgia, high maternal mortality rates and the disproportionate impact current policies have on Black women.

"I don't even understand the mindset behind not being for midwifery," Rodrigo added. "Is it just like wanting to control women and bring them down?"

The American artist has been an outspoken advocate for women's reproductive rights in the past, using her platform to launch her Fund 4 Good initiative during the GUTS World Tour in 2024.

"A portion of all of the proceeds from ticket sales of the GUTS world tour" said Rodrigo, would go to the fund that "support[s] all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom."

Despite Missouri banning almost all abortions in 2022, she handed out contraceptive kits with condoms, Plan Bs and information about abortion access, during her shows in the state. The move was met with criticism from several Republican figures, such as Missouri State Senator Bill Eigel, who said she "should be ashamed" for "championing abortion".

The conversation comes ahead of her inaugural Daisy Chain Fields Festival, which will take place on August 29 in Irvine, California. The all-female line-up features Chappell Roan, Bikini Kill, Doechii, Garbage, Mitski, Stevie Nicks and more.

The festival will be raising funds and awareness for organisations protecting women's rights. The Center for Reproductive Rights is one of 10 nonprofit partners, with an on-site location in the Philanthropy Village, allowing festival goers to learn about each organisations work.

Alongside the festival, she is set to showcase songs from her new album You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love on her Unraveled Tour. As part of her European tour, she will play four nights in London but no Irish show.

Watch Rodrigo's conversation with the Center of Reproductive Rights below:

 

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