Celebrities and politicians react to Roe V. Wade being overturned

The 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent was overturned by the United States Supreme Court on June 24. The 6-3 SCOTUS decision means that abortion rights no longer are protected by the federal government. Nearly 50 years after the landmark case upheld everyone’s right of choice, every state will now determine who can and cannot have access to reproductive health care. Thirteen states have already passed trigger laws to ban abortion completely, and almost half of them are expected to do so.

Celebrities and politicians used their platforms to share their thoughts, stories and resources on social networking after the decision. Sophie Turner, actress and mother of two, posted a video on her Instagram Story denouncing the SCOTUS’s regressive decisions.

She said, “Overturning Roe V. Wade sets us back 50 years,” into the camera. This is not going to save any life. It will kill millions of women and put them at risk.

She added, “And this is about saving lives. If anyone cared about salvaging lives then we would have gun controls after all the mass shootings here in the United States. It’s not about saving life, but controlling a woman’s body and her right to choose. It’s completely disgusting and fucking offensive.”

Gabrielle Union shared many resources with her Instagram followers. She posted a flyer saying, “The fight doesn’t end. To demand control over our bodies and lives, join a rally in your local area. Text “ACCESS” to 22422 BansOff.org”

A slide was also provided with which she listed actions people could take, such as donating to or supporting local charities.

Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States, posted a statement to Instagram saying that she was “heartbroken today.” “I feel terrible for the people in this country who have lost their fundamental right to make informed choices about their bodies. I feel sad that we might now have to learn from the painful lessons of a past before Roe became law. This was a time when women were at risk of losing their lives by having illegal abortions. The government made women give up control of their reproductive functions and forced them to have pregnancies that they did not want. They then abandoned their babies once they were born.”

“I am devastated and terrified.” Olivia Rodrigo said that so many women and girls would die as a result of this. She also added: “I wanted this song to be dedicated to the Supreme Court members who have shown us that they really don’t care about freedom at all.” This song is dedicated to the justices: Clarence Thomas (Samuel Alito), Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you!”

Vogue also asked celebrities to write essays about their abortion experiences. Halsey’s contribution described her endometriosis, multiple miscarriages (something she has been open about in music) as well as the care she received after losing a baby.

She wrote that one of her miscarriages required “aftercare” (a gentle way to say that I would need an abort, as my body was unable to terminate the pregnancy fully on its own, and I would be at risk of sepsis if I didn’t have medical intervention). “During this procedure I cried. I was scared for my life and was powerless. I wanted to end the dangerous pregnancy that was threatening me.”

She explained that she had to rewrite her will after giving birth in 2021 because she realized how dangerous it was.

“I was prepared for the worst after my previous experiences. I provided detailed instructions about how I wanted my organs donated in the event that I died or was declared brain-dead. This meant that if my heart didn’t stopped beating but my brain didn’t function properly, the state would be allowed to remove my warm, still flush flesh to take my organs. It’s funny how my heart could be reduced to a series involuntary movements on an operating room table, but a beating heart inside my womb could indicate that I wouldn’t agree to save my own life. My abortion saved my life, and allowed my son to have his. Everyone deserves to have the freedom to choose how, when, and if they experience this life-altering and dangerous experience. I will keep my son in my arms and fight with all of my might with my other arm.”