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Lizzo & Live Nation Pledge $1M Donation To Planned Parenthood & Abortion Rights; Billie Eilish & Others Speak Out
Following the Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that had effectively legalized abortions across the United States, a number of artists have spoken out and pledged to donate money to Planned Parenthood and abortion rights. Lizzo announced she will donate $500,000 from her upcoming tour, with Live Nation matching her donation for a total of $1 million.
Live Nation released a statement on Instagram in reaction to the Supreme Court decision. The statement in full read:
“We stand with women:
- 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
- We are partnering with artists on support, including matching Lizzo’s donation to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Rights
- Our Live Nation Women team is working on initiatives to support voter registration and turnout”
Billie Eilish also took her Glastonbury headline set on Friday, June 24, to speak her mind about the ruling. “Today is a really, really dark day for women in the US,” the 20-year-old said on the Pyramid Stage.
The youngest headliner to ever take the famed stage at Glastonbury, Eilish said, “I’m just going to say that because I can’t bear to think about it any longer,” before reportedly dedicating her song “Your Power,” to everyone affected.
Other artists also spoke out about the Supreme Court decision during their Glastonbury performances, including Phoebe Bridgers.
Bridgers cursed “old” Supreme Court justices “who try to tell us what to do with our bodies” and invited the crowd to say “f* you” to the Supreme Court during her June 24 set. After the draft opinion regarding the overturning of Roe v. Wade was leaked, Bridgers tweeted May 3 a list of abortion funds seeking donations and shared about her own experience with abortion: “I had an abortion in October of last year while I was on tour. I went to planned parenthood where they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves that kind of access.”
Idles frontman Joe Talbot said the court’s decision had taken the U.S. “back to the Middle Ages.” On stage at Glasto on June 25, Olivia Rodrigo listed off the names of every Supreme Court justice who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, including Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, Neil M. Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas, before launching into a performance of “F* You” with Lily Allen.
Kacey Musgraves told the Glastonbury crowd, “Honestly I’m thinking about never going back to America. Anyone know anyone with positions for sheep farming? That sounds really good right now.”
Wearing a crown of thorns with fake blood pouring down his face and shirt, Kendrick Lamar wrapped his headline set at Glastonbury on Sunday with a performance of “Savior,” repeatedly chanting, “They judge you, they judge Christ. Godspeed for women’s rights.”
Rage Against The Machine has also pledged a donation of nearly half a million from charity tickets sold for the band’s upcoming shows at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wis., July 9 and Chicago’s United Center July 11-12.
The band posted a statement on Instagram June 24 saying they were “disgusted by the repeal of Roe v. Wade and the devastating impact it will have on tens of millions of people.”
The statement added, “To date, our fans have raised $475,000 from the sale of our charity tickets at Alpine Valley and the United Center. We are donating that money to reproductive rights organizations in Wisconsin and Illinois.”
In response to the SCOTUS ruling Pollstar parent company Oak View Group sent out an email to employees on June 25 declaring, “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is one of our four OVG core pillars, and that includes providing equitable access to safe healthcare, including reproductive benefits, to all employees. This ruling will place limitations on a woman’s basic human right to make decisions regarding her own health. OVG’s health benefits will not.”
OVG promised that the company will cover travel expenses for employees who need access to women’s health care services outside of their home state, adding, “We fully support equal access for all women to obtain the proper care that they deem appropriate for their bodies. … We can’t change the decision that was made yesterday, but we can lead with empathy, check in on each other, listen, learn and act.”