Teen pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo is raising her voice to stand up for abortion rights following the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion that would end the constitutional right to the procedure across the U.S.
The newly minted Grammy winner delivered a powerful message to her legions of young fans at the most recent stop of her sold-out Sour tour in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.
Addressing the potential impact of overturning Roe v. Wade onstage mid-concert, Rodrigo encouraged the crowd to stand up for reproductive rights.
“Because we’re in D.C., I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk about how heartbroken I am over the Supreme Court’s potential decision,” the singer said, prompting cheers of agreement from the crowd.
“What a woman does with her body should never be in the hands of politicians,” she continued. “I hope we can use our voices to protect our right to have a safe abortion, which is a right that so many people before us have worked so hard to get. It’s so important,” she continued before resuming the show.
The chart-topping “Drivers License” singer joins a growing chorus of celebrities expressing grave concern over the potential dismantling of half a century of women’s rights.
Should the the landmark 1973 case be overturned, it would likely prompt up to 26 states to ban or greatly restrict access to abortion, with the areas impacted most heavily concentrated in the South.
Celebrities from Amy Schumer and Halsey to Mark Ruffalo and Phoebe Bridgers, who opened up about her own experience with abortion, have voiced their outrage on social media and beyond in recent days to condemn the draft opinion.
Rodrigo, notably, holds tremendous influence over a younger generation as both a singer and the star of the hugely popular Disney+ series “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”
As part of an effort to increase vaccination rates among young people against COVID-19, Rodrigo was invited by the Biden administration to the White House in July.
In addition to filming videos to encourage vaccinations, Rodrigo also spoke at a briefing alongside press secretary Jen Psaki, where she gave remarks about how she was “beyond humbled” to “help spread the message about the importance of youth vaccinations.”
