Phoebe Bridgers opens up about having abortion: “Everyone deserves that kind of access”

4th May 2022

Phoebe Bridgers has spoken out about her abortion in the wake of the news that the US Supreme Court could soon overturn Roe v. Wade.

The landmark decision is what guarantees access to abortion in the United States and has been in effect since the 1970s, with Planned Parenthood v. Casey upholding the right in 1992.

However, the court appears to be poised to overturn it, according to a leaked draft opinion obtained by Politico on 2 May.

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” the document’s author, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., states in the draft. “The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely – the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

“That provision has been held to guarantee some rights that are not mentioned in the Constitution, but any such right must be ‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition’ and ‘implicit in the concept of ordered liberty’. The right to abortion does not fall within this category.”

The decision, which is not expected to be finalised for another month or so, would mean that abortion rights would be determined by individual states.

Although its final form could change, legislatures in 22 states would likely ban or substantially restrict access to abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned in the way the draft opinion proposes – a move that would disproportionately affect those who cannot afford to travel for the procedure.

In the wake of the leaked news, Bridgers opened up about her own experience with abortion and why she thinks “everyone deserves” a legal right to it.

“I had an abortion in October of last year while I was on tour,” the 27-year-old wrote on an Instagram story.

“I went to Planned Parenthood where they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves that kind of access.”

Alongside her words, she shared a link to several abortion funds to donate to.

President Joe Biden was among the many politicians, activists and celebrities condemning the Supreme Court for considering overturning Roe v. Wade.

“If the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose,” he said. “And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.”