Multiple musicians have shared their reactions to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade today (June 24).
In May, a draft opinion penned by Justice Samuel Alito argued that the 1973 landmark ruling was “egregiously wrong from the start”, adding that “it is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
Though the draft was verified as authentic, it was noted at the time that draft opinions can be subject to multiple drafts and vote-trading so the court’s decision was not final.
But now, it has been confirmed that the landmark case has been overturned, meaning abortion will no longer be protected as a federal right in the US for the first time since 1973, and each state will be able to decide individually whether to restrict or ban abortion.
Notable figures in the music industry have expressed their outrage on social media, including Taylor Swift, who shared a letter that Michelle Obama had written about the decision.
“I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are,” she wrote, “that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”
I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that. https://t.co/mwK561oxxl
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 24, 2022
Pearl Jam, meanwhile, shared a video on Instagram, alongside the caption: “No one, not the government, not politicians, not the Supreme Court should prevent access to abortion, birth control, and contraceptives. People should have the FREEDOM to choose.
“Today’s decision impacts everyone and it will particularly affect poor women who can’t afford to travel to access health care. We will stay active, we will not back down and we will never give up.”
During their Glastonbury 2022 performance, Joe Talbot of Idles also spoke out against the decision.
“Of course, this is for every mother and every woman and her right to choose whether she is a mother or not,” Talbot said. “Long live the open-minded long live my mother and long live every single one of you.”
See more reactions below.
abortion is healthcare.
bodily autonomy is a human right.— Maggie Rogers (@maggierogers) June 24, 2022
just because you’re not an American citizen does not mean the overturning of Roe V Wade is none of your business. if you support womens rights and human rights you NEED to be vocal about how drastic and appalling the overturning of the constitutional right to an abortion is.
— Charli (@charli_xcx) June 24, 2022
MAKING ABORTIONS ILLEGAL WONT STOP PEOPLE FROM HAVING THEM, IT STOPS THEM FROM HAVING SAFE ONES
— Zara Larsson (@zaralarsson) June 24, 2022
I don’t even know what to say other than absolutely fuck this
— FINNEAS☮️ (@finneas) June 24, 2022
The three #Trump #SCOTUS appointees all lied to Congress and to the American people during their confirmation hearings, when they all stated that #ROEVWADE was settled law. They are all radical traditionalist Catholics and are shoving America ever further to the right.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) June 24, 2022
fucking evil.
— traitor joe (@phoebe_bridgers) June 24, 2022
the Supreme Court just ended a constitutional right to obtain an abortion, saying it should be left to each state to decide, this is horrible! they just took the right to decide about someone’s own body away! we need to speak out. your body, your choice! #AbortionIsHealthcare
— YUNGBLUD (@yungblud) June 24, 2022
Vote these medieval old turds out.
— Garbage (@garbage) June 24, 2022
Fuckin bullshit!!
This decision is about more than abortion, it’s about who has power over you, who has authority to make decisions for you, and who is going to control how your future turns out~ @nwlc @PPFA @ACLU @SisterSong_WOC pic.twitter.com/52Pj6j36Z1
— Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) June 24, 2022
In May, Halsey aired a video of protest footage and facts about abortion statistics during her ‘Love And Power’ tour opener and joined the likes of Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion and Phoebe Bridgers in signing a letter denouncing the draft opinion.
Harry Styles also spoke out about the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion at the time.
Speaking to Howard Stern in an interview [per Teen Vogue], Styles said of the potential of Roe v. Wade being overturned: “I think it’s quite scary to see how far backwards we’re going in a lot of ways. There should be backlash and uproar for these things. There’s a lot of people who are taking…the right steps to try to make positive things [happen].”
He added that, in his opinion, no one “should be able to make decisions about anyone else’s body – it doesn’t really make any sense to me”. “It’s just so backwards,” he said.