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American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga spoke about abortion rights during a show in Washington, DC. It has been a little over a month since the 50-year old Roe vs Wade ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court. This overturning of the crucial ruling will allow around half the US states to impose severe restrictions on abortions. More than half the states are in the process of banning the medical procedure.
Gaga was performing in Washington, DC, on Monday, August 8, as part of her Chromatica Ball tour. Right before her song, Edge of Glory, she said:
“I would like to dedicate this song to every woman in America. To every woman who now has to worry about her body if she gets pregnant. I pray that this country will speak up, that we will stick together, and that we will not stop until it’s right! For every woman.”
Before she finished her performance, Lady Gaga also added:
“I didn’t mean to be, like, a downer, but there’s some sh*t that’s more important than show business.”
Lady Gaga dedicates Born This Way to the LGBTQ community
A few songs into the set, Gaga dedicated Born This Way to the LGBTQ+ community. Before starting her performance, she said:
“This might not be the national anthem, but it’s our national anthem! They better not try to mess with gay marriage in this country!”
After overturning Roe Vs Wade, there are rumors that the Supreme Court will look to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, a ruling which was passed in 2015 and legalises same-sex marriage.
Lady Gaga is currently on the road for her North American Chromatica Ball tour, which has seven dates left. She will head to New Jersey on August 11 and will make stops in Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas and Georgia before wrapping up in Los Angeles, California.
The tour is in support of her sixth studio album, Chromatica, which was released by Interscope Records and subsidiary Streamline on May 29, 2020. Earlier this year, Lady Gaga released her new song Hold My Hand, which featured in the Tom Cruise starrer Top Gun: Maverick. The song was produced by Gaga, BloodPop and co-produced by Benjamin Rice. Gaga has also confirmed that she will appear in the sequel to Todd Phillips' 2019 movie, Joker, opposite Joaquin Phoenix.
Several artists have previously have spoken against the overturning of Roe Vs Wade
Various artists have called out the overturning of Roe Vs Wade in the past. American singer-songwriter Halsey, on her tour, showed a slideshow highlighting the decision. The slides elaborated on the consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision, and were a call to action for the audience to revolutionize.
“Half of the states are expected to ban abortion. Some will prosecute those who seek abortion or aid those in seeking abortion. This catastrophic attack on bodily autonomy will only encourage more dangerous legislation, impacting vulnerable communities the most."
Halsey has been a vocal advocate of abortion rights and has spoken about her miscarriages in the past. She noted saying that she suffered three miscarriages before she was 24 and how one of the abortions had saved their life.
Apart from Halsey, Lorde, Green Day and Rage Against The Machine have also spoken against the ruling.
Some artists including Phoebe Bridgers, Paramore, Lizzo and Lorde, have pledged to donate proceeds from their tour earnings to charities that provide access to safe abortions.
