Yungblud, Maggie Rogers, St. Vincent and Lucy Dacus are among the artists who have spoken out against Texas’ strict new abortion law which came into effect this week.
The new legislation, Senate Bill 8, bans most abortions in Texas and makes the state the most restrictive in the United States in terms of access to abortion services, according to the New York Times.
It prohibits aborting a foetus once cardiac activity can be detected, which is generally around six weeks – a very early point in a pregnancy, when women may not even know they are pregnant. It makes no exceptions for victims of rape or incest, and authorises citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone involved in facilitating an abortion. The US Supreme Court refused to block the bill before its enactment on Wednesday (September 1).
A slew of artists and musicians have since criticised the legislation and voiced their support for the pro-choice movement.
“The right to your body is yours and yours alone,” Yungblud shared in a video on Twitter. “It makes me sick and it makes me really disgusted that people sit there and they take away that choice and they take away that right.”
your body your choice. end of story. ???????????? #AbortionBan pic.twitter.com/aVCGJ5oXK1
— YUNGBLUD’s a FLEABAG (@yungblud) September 2, 2021
Lucy Dacus has also announced that she’ll be donating all proceeds from her forthcoming Texas shows to abortion funds.
“all the money I make at our upcoming shows in Texas will be going towards abortion funds jsyk, if you’re not cool with that don’t come,” she wrote.
if you are cool with that (and are vaccinated) Austin and Dallas are sold out, but Houston and San Antonio are not, come thru and bring extra $ cause I’m gonna figure out a donation situation https://t.co/vmoZ7iaHTk
— Lucy Dacus (@lucydacus) September 2, 2021
Other musicians including St. Vincent, Pink, Maggie Rogers, Billy Bragg and more have also voiced their opposition to the new law, with Bragg invoking Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale.
“Gilead here we come! #BlessedBeTheFruit,” he tweeted.
Gilead here we come! #BlessedBeTheFruit https://t.co/IFFqWMJjPW
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) September 1, 2021
I stand in solidarity with my fellow Texans who, as of today, face an extreme 6-week abortion ban. This ban, #SB8, will be the blueprint for bans across the US. Unless we do something about it. #BansOffOurBodies https://t.co/8aXb5yZOwu pic.twitter.com/CQMLyE40Lf
— St. Vincent (@st_vincent) September 2, 2021
this law incentivizes members of the public to sue anyone who helps a patient get an abortion in TX after 6 wks. there are no exemptions for rape and incest. and they won’t stop there.
the battle for reproductive health & rights is happening now. https://t.co/6PgZMm0SCp https://t.co/faWjHdlCAA
— Maggie Rogers (@maggierogers) September 1, 2021
I stand in solidarity with people in TX who, as of today, face an extreme 6-week abortion ban. This ban, #SB8, will be the blueprint for bans across the US. Unless we do something about it. #BansOffOurBodies https://t.co/jE7GCOneg4 pic.twitter.com/DeuSzOBGiN
— P!nk (@Pink) September 2, 2021
The future is now. (Repost #3ChordPolitics) pic.twitter.com/pxcxAINn8h
— Tom Morello (@tmorello) September 2, 2021
that influence these kinds of decisions. 6 weeks is not enough time to make the proper decision for you and your family. The way that this law calls for third parties to get involved in reporting and suing people who are making decisions about their own bodies and facilities
— Lauren Jauregui (@LaurenJauregui) September 1, 2021
President Joe Biden also weighed in on the new Texas law, saying he would be “launching a whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision”.
I am launching a whole-of-government effort to respond to this decision — looking specifically to HHS and DOJ to see what steps the federal government can take to insulate those in Texas from this law and ensure access to safe and legal abortions as protected by Roe.
— President Biden (@POTUS) September 2, 2021
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