Alabama abortion ban: Chris Evans, Lady Gaga and other celebs join #YouKnowMe
After states like Alabama and Georgia passed their infamous abortion bills, Hollywood celebrities have come out in support of women's reproductive rights, by sharing their own abortions stories. Using powerful anecdotes, the fraternity is pushing to overturn the bills that were recently passed in the two states, one that bans abortions at the detection of cardiac activity in the womb as early as six weeks into pregnancy in Georgia, and the other that effectively bans abortions completely in Alabama. Celebrities have slammed the bills almost uniformly, along with thousands of women who have come out in support of reproductive rights, following actor Busy Philipps, who started the hashtag #YouKnowMe.
Busy Philipps shared her teenage abortion story in a recent episode of her talk show 'Busy Tonight', condemning Georgia's heartbeat bill. "I had an abortion when I was 15 years old and I’m telling you this because I'm genuinely really scared for women and girls all over the country," Philipps said. She later asked women to share their stories on Twitter, using the hashtag #YouKnowMe. Other celebrities like Jameela Jamil were quick to jump on the bandwagon, supporting women's rights over their own bodies. The actor got candid about an abortion that she had when she was younger, terming it the "best decision" she had ever made even as she slammed Georgia's controversial 'heartbeat bill'.
Actress Rose McGowan shared her story in a tweet, saying that women should not be ashamed of abortions. "I have had an abortion and I support this message. I am not ashamed, nor should you be. That 60% of those who choose to have abortions are already mothers says a lot — they understand more than anyone. I was on birth control and it failed," she wrote.
Actress Milla Jovovich also shared her story on Instagram as a response to the Georgia anti-abortion bill. "Abortion is a nightmare at its best. No woman wants to go through that. But we have to fight to make sure our rights are preserved to obtain a safe one if we need to," she said. "I never wanted to speak about this experience. But I cannot remain silent when so much is at stake. #prochoice #prochoicegeneration." she added.
Now, with Alabama State Senate's abortion ban, dissent against the "pro-life" bills have only grown stronger. Women have slammed the bill, sharing their personal stories. "I was 16 and the condom broke. There was never any question about what I was going to do and I have never regretted it. And I know at least five other women who also had one and went on to have kids later once they were ready, and are amazing moms," wrote one user.
Celebrities have voiced their outrage against the Alabama bill, speaking out against the restrictive legislation. Musician Lady Gaga reacted swiftly after Alabama passed its anti-abortion bill, tweeting "It is an outrage to ban abortion in Alabama period, and all the more heinous that it excludes those who have been raped or are experiencing incest non-consensual or not." She added, "So there’s a higher penalty for doctors who perform these operations than for most rapists? This is a travesty and I pray for all these women and young girls who suffer at the hands of this system."
Director Ava DuVernay also took to Twitter to condemn the law. Musician Janelle Monae and radio host Andy Cohen also slammed the controversial bill. Chris Evans was the last to react to the ban in a tweet which said "This is absolutely unbelievable. If you’re not worried about roe v wade, you’re not paying attention. This is why voting matters!!"
Alabama's restrictive legislation mandates that doctors who perform abortions at any stage of pregnancy will face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison — and a maximum of 99 years, or life, in prison. Exceptions will be made when the mother's life is in jeopardy, for ectopic pregnancies and if the "unborn child has a lethal anomaly".
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