Ryen Sakyi
Olivia Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter and actress with three Grammys, five iHeartRadio Music Awards and seven Billboard Music Awards. As a musician, she has achieved the unique feat of having all her songs charted on the Hot 100 Billboards. Currently, Rodrigo is on a world tour for her second album, GUTS, a pop and pop-rock album.
During one of her concerts in St. Louis, Missouri, on March 13, 2024, she had an in-area stand from the Missouri Abortion Fund promoting safe sex and contraception, advocating for reproductive rights in a state where abortion bans have been enforced.
During her recent world tour, Rodrigo introduced the “Fund 4 Good” campaign, an initiative that supports reproductive rights for women and girls. A percentage of the tour's earnings will be directed towards this fund. Rodrigo has collaborated with the National Network of Abortion Funds.
As part of this movement, Rodrigo's team collaborated with the Missouri Abortion Fund to talk to female fans about information on women's healthcare on abortion, donating to abortion funds and they have even been handing out free emergency morning-after pills and condoms to fans at her concert in St. Louis, Mo.
A lot of Rodrigo’s fans were confused about this take on campaigning for safe sex, information on safe sex and emergency contraception, knowing that abortion laws are legal in Missouri. Still, fans were glad to learn that emergency contraception was free at her concert since Plan B is too expensive, costing $50, and that she cared about women's healthcare and was making a stand on social issues.
While some may argue that a concert is not the best place to discuss such issues, others love her for this perspective, I appreciate that she has taken it upon herself to address this vital topic. Campaigning at a concert might not be the best place for her to give out emergency contraception. If her campaign “Fund 4 Good” distributed free emergency contraception outside the concert area, near a medical clinic, that would be much better.
Still, I appreciate that she is taking it upon herself to acknowledge social issues, especially in a state where abortion laws are illegal, and that her campaign supports all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom.
I do not think a concert is the right place to do that. However, I am pleased to know that celebrities such as Rodrigo are using their platform to bring awareness of women's healthcare to female fans' attention, especially during a time when Roe v. Wade was overturned and abortion laws became illegal, affecting some states of the U.S.
On March 15, Rodrigo’s management team stopped distributing free emergency contraception. However, the National Network of Abortion Funds, with whom Rodrigo was working, will still have an arena stand presence at stops on her world tour through Rodrigo’s “Fund 4 Good” campaign.
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