Lizzo pledges $1 million for Planned Parenthood and abortion funds

'This is just the beginning of the action I hope to take'

More and more notable figures are coming out to champion women's rights following Roe v Wade being overturned on Friday, as now US artist Lizzo has pledged a $1 million donation to women's healthcare organisation, Planned Parenthood. The historic ruling saw American women's constitutional right to abortion stripped away after 50 years, meaning that an estimated 36 million women of reproductive age in the US expected to have the ability to choose taken away from them. Taking to TikTok and other social media platforms, the 34-year-old singer announced that she would be donating $500,000 from her tour earnings to the US non-profit and similar charities, adding that LiveNation "agreed to match [her] pledge, therefore making it a million dollars for Planned Parenthood and abortion funds".

@lizzoLizzoLovesYou.com ❤️♬ original sound - lizzo

'Take action'

She went on to urge others to "take action" by visiting her fundraising website, lizzolovesyou.com, where she also carries out annual fundraising for Juneteenth - the day which celebrates the emancipation of slaves in the US. She also recommended that those supporting pro-choice abortion rights should sign the Bans of Our Bodies petition, spearheaded by Planned Parenthood, and "find out ways to volunteer", adding that "this is just the beginning of the action I hope to take to help people have safe planning for families and own their bodies". https://www.instagram.com/p/CfNNcdOPrjt/ Lizzo wasn't the only musician to come ut and condemn the decision that will allow individual states to ban abortion entirely (five of which have already done so), as several artists took the time to call out the decision at Glastonbury's opening night. Speaking just hours after the news came in UK time, American acts like Billie Eilish and Phoebe Bridgers called it "one of the darkest days" in American history. https://twitter.com/JOE_co_uk/status/1540620882615439360?s=20&t=_Jdu6yn2TFGx9qnQDUmSDw

Related links

• Lizzo removes offensive slur from new song 'Grrrls' following intense backlash
• Man charged with terrorism after two dead and 21 injured in deadly Oslo Pride shooting
• JK Rowling's team condemns 'distasteful' prank by Russians impersonating Volodymyr Zelenskyy