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Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Olivia Rodrigo Accepts Planned Parenthood Award & Urges ‘We Just Have to Fight' Even in ‘Hopeless' Political Climate
Every night on tour, Olivia Rodrigo performs for countless women and girls – but when they all funnel out of the arenas and festival grounds at the end of each of her shows, she worries constantly for their futures. That's why she's spent almost her entire career advocating for reproductive rights, using her platform to speak out against oppressive policy changes and raising money through her concerts for abortion funds. And on Thursday evening (April 24) at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York's Spring Into Action Gala in New York City, those efforts were honored by the organization with the designation of 2025's Catalyst of Change award to the 22-year-old pop star, who asked during her speech, 'When I play shows, I look out at crowds filled with young girls and the bond I feel with them is profound… I often wonder, 'What happens to those girls when they leave those venues? What are their dreams? What kind of world are they returning to?'' More from Billboard Olivia Rodrigo Donates More Than $2 Million From Guts World Tour Proceeds to Global Charities Ye Disses Kendrick Lamar & Tyler, the Creator Again: 'The Two Most Overrated So-Called Artist' Benson Boone Drops 'Mystical Magical' New Song After Its Live Debut at Coachella Rodrigo was one of two guests of honor at the night's celebration at Cipriani South Street in lower Manhattan, with Amanda Zurawski — the Texas woman who sued her home state in 2023 after she nearly died due to pregnancy complications and was denied an abortion — also getting a moment of recognition as this year's Champion of Change award winner. Past winner Laverne Cox was on hand to present Zurawski with the honor, while the 'Vampire' singer's friend and fellow activist Lily Allen (with whom she chanted 'F–k you' to the Supreme Court at her Glastonbury set three years prior, shortly after Roe v. Wade was overturned), gave Rodrigo a heartfelt introduction. 'Olivia, my love, you're the realest,' the British singer-songwriter gushed after commending Rodrigo for not '[straying] from her values to make powerful people comfortable.' 'You use your platform because you actually give a s–t about reproductive freedom and justice. And in this world, genuinely giving a s–t is revolutionary.' After taking the stage and giving Allen a hug, Rodrigo used her speech to highlight the work of Planned Parenthood and shout out Zurawski — 'You deserve this award far more than I do,' the singer said, singling out the activist in the audience — before paying tribute to Cecile Richards, the healthcare organization's former president who died earlier this year after battling brain cancer. 'It's a privilege to be here tonight to support an organization that, despite countless obstacles, continues to show up with compassion, hope and dignity for women,' Rodrigo told a crowd of donors and Planned Parenthood of Greater New York board members, who clung to every word. 'My greatest wish is that through organizations like Planned Parenthood and the action of everyday citizens, no woman will need to sacrifice her dreams, her health or humanity because of restrictive laws or lack of resources.' '[Richards] led at a time of relentless attacks on care and constant efforts to silence and shame women into submission,' the three-time Grammy winner added. 'She reminds us that standing up for what's right doesn't mean we have to be fearless. We can be scared, we can be angry, we can feel hopeless. We just have to fight anyway.' The event honoring her comes after years of Rodrigo being one of the most vocal and hands-on modern pop stars when it comes to advocating for reproductive freedom. Back in May 2022 at a Sour Tour concert in Washington, D.C., just after the overturning of Roe, she made headlines for telling her crowd, 'Our bodies should never be in the hands of politicians … I hope we can raise our voices to protect our right to have a safe abortion, which is a right that so many people before us have worked so hard to get.' On her next tour in support of 2023 Billboard 200-topping sophomore album Guts, Rodrigo launched her Fund 4 Good, which funneled proceeds from her shows on the trek to local abortion funds. Through the initiative, the Grammy winner also had local abortion funds set up tables at her venues, allowing young fans to learn about reproductive health and resources. In December, she announced that she'd donated more than $2 million in ticket sales from her 2024 Guts Tour — which continues this year with shows in Latin America and Europe as well as a run of global festival dates — to 10 organizations around the world championing girls' education, reproductive rights and the prevention of gender-based violence. Read Rodrigo's full speech at the 2025 Planned Parenthood Spring Into Action Gala below. Um, first of all, huge thank you to Lily. I absolutely adore you and I'm so grateful that you're here tonight, thank you. And a huge thank you to Planned Parenthood of Greater New York for this incredible honor. I feel very fortunate for so many things in my life and my career. Over the past few years, I've gotten to live out dreams that I had as a little girl. I've traveled the world, I've written music that inspires me, and I've met so many of the people I grew up worshiping, like Miss Lily, for example. But perhaps the greatest privilege this career has given me is connection with women through my music. When I play shows, I look out at crowds filled with young girls and the bond I feel with them is profound. To be in a space where we can all feel safe to be wild, emotional and carefree is incredibly powerful, and even though we're not speaking one on one, those moments where we sing together and lock eyes, something real forms. It feels like we're part of each other's lives. I often wonder, 'What happens to those girls when they leave those venues? What are their dreams? What kind of world are they returning to? We live in a world that politicizes our bodies and uses harmful ideologies to deny us safety and healthcare, and it breaks my heart to think that, because of oppressive laws and outdated policies, some of those girls may not get to follow their dreams the way I was able to follow mine. Just a year ago, fueled by heartbreak and anger over what was happening in the world, I launched my Fund 4 Good, a global initiative that supports local nonprofits, championing reproductive freedom, girls' education and the prevention of gender-based violence. A portion of my tour proceeds went to the fund, and I'm proud to share that we've raised and donated over $2 million to organizations around the world. I'm so, so incredibly humbled to be here amongst so many real-life heroes in the fight for freedom of choice. Amanda, wherever you are – where are you? Oh, hi Amanda! I'm absolutely floored by your story. Your ability to turn something so heartbreaking and painful into such powerful activism is so incredibly inspiring. I'm just so in awe of you. You deserve this award far more than I do, and I'm just very honored to stand with you tonight and celebrate your bravery. I can't express how much I admire Planned Parenthood and the life-saving work that they do. Providing affordable healthcare, cancer screenings, birth control, STD testing, and abortion care, amongst so many other things, gives women the autonomy to care for themselves and shape their futures. It's a privilege to be here tonight to support an organization that, despite countless obstacles, continues to show up with compassion, hope and dignity for women. My greatest wish is that through organizations like Planned Parenthood and the action of everyday citizens, no woman will need to sacrifice her dreams, her health or humanity because of restrictive laws or lack of resources. Before I go, I want to honor Cecile Richards. She led at a time of relentless attacks on care and constant efforts to silence and shame women into submission, but Cecile stood her ground, and in doing so, she stood up for millions of us. I never got the chance to meet her, but her legacy of resilience and decency continues to impact me. She reminds us that standing up for what's right doesn't mean we have to be fearless. We can be scared, we can be angry, we can feel hopeless. We just have to fight anyway. Thank you again, so much. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Planned Parenthood is in a crisis — and the Supreme Court could make it worse
Last month, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York announced it will list its Manhattan clinic building for sale due to budget shortfalls, a move that would leave the national organization with zero presence in the borough where it was founded a century ago. It was the most visible sign of the crisis that has hit Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers since the end of Roe v. Wade. With Trump back in office, that crisis could intensify even further — starting at the Supreme Court. Even before the closure of the Manhattan clinic, PPGNY's budget picture was already so dire it had to close four clinics — one in Staten Island and three others upstate — and stop offering abortions after 20 weeks due to the cost of sedation. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England expects an $8.6 million deficit over the next three years. And Planned Parenthood of Illinois announced in January that it would shutter four clinics that provided abortion pills amid a 'financial shortfall' stemming from rising costs of care, inadequate insurance reimbursement, and an influx of patients who need assistance. While the Planned Parenthood Federation of America raised several hundred million dollars in 2022 alone, little of that goes to state affiliates that actually provide care. The money affiliates receive doesn't fund medical services, but rather pays for legal support, political advocacy, and some technology upgrades. Affiliates do accept donations directly, but they raise far less than the national office can. How is this financial strain happening, even in states where abortion is still legal? It's a confluence of crises after the end of Roe, with more than a dozen states banning nearly all abortions, plus rising costs, and the design of the U.S. healthcare system. The number of abortions has actually increased after the Dobbs decision that ended Roe, as abortion support and financial assistance became more visible. Donations surged and more people traveled out of state than ever before, and demand has increased wait times, which pushes people further into pregnancy when abortion is more expensive. Because many abortion seekers are low-income and don't have insurance that covers abortion, the cost of that care (and the related plane tickets and hotels) increasingly falls on nonprofit groups like abortion funds and clinics themselves. Last year, one large fund, the National Abortion Federation, had to cap the amount it gives per patient to stretch its budget for the year. Though the need for abortion support is higher than it's ever been, donations to abortion funds and other groups have been declining since 2022. If a state Medicaid program does cover abortion, the rate it pays the clinic is not enough to cover the cost of the service. Add to those problems the loss of patients during the pandemic and several years of inflation, and it's a full-blown catastrophe. As the second Trump administration enacts more of its policy goals, abortion opponents are trying to starve abortion providers of any federal funding. They refer to that goal as 'defunding,' but it's important to note that Planned Parenthood does not have a line item in budgets. It receives payment for health care services provided and grant funding approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. One major goal for abortion opponents is to block abortion providers from receiving any money from Medicaid. In the year ending in June 2023, Planned Parenthood's 49 affiliates across the country received $699 million in government grants and reimbursements for health services, including Medicaid payments. This Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that arose after South Carolina said Planned Parenthood was not a qualified Medicaid provider for non-abortion services like birth control because — you guessed it — it separately performs abortions. Since that fact has nothing to do with the quality of care Planned Parenthood provides, a patient sued the state for violating her right under the Medicaid Act to see any qualified provider of her choosing. South Carolina claims individuals can't actually vindicate this right in court. If at least five justices agree, that could lead to more states kicking Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid. Plus, Project 2025 calls for Trump's Health and Human Services Department to nationalize the South Carolina strategy and officially interpret the Medicaid statute as disqualifying abortion providers from the program in all 50 states. If either outcome comes to pass, more clinics will undoubtedly close, shrinking access to abortion care even in legal states. Another bucket of funding that Trump could revoke is via a federal family planning program known as Title X. Congress allocates about $285 million yearly to support low- and no-cost access to birth control, STI testing, and cancer screenings. Grantees include state and local health departments and clinics like Planned Parenthood. During Trump's first term, he excluded providers that even make referrals for abortion services, via what's known as a 'gag rule.' Rather than halt referrals to patients interested in abortion, Planned Parenthood affiliates left the program in 2019 and lost about $60 million. Though President Joe Biden rescinded the eligibility changes, clinics serving low-income patients took a financial hit in the interim. It appears that Trump isn't waiting for the next Title X grant cycle to reshape the program. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the administration will soon freeze current grants to, in its telling, investigate whether recipients comply with executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, told the Journal of the Title X freeze: 'The Trump-Vance-Musk administration wants to shut down Planned Parenthood health centers by any means necessary, and they'll end people's access to birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and more to do it.' One vehicle is the federal budget: groups like Students for Life and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America want Republicans to include a provision in the forthcoming reconciliation bill that would bar Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funding, including Medicaid or Title X. SBA president Marjorie Dannenfelser told the Associated Press, 'I believe this is the moment they will be defunded, and this is the blow that will bring them down.' There's a problem though: reconciliation bills can't increase deficits long-term, but 'defunding' Planned Parenthood actually costs the government money in the long run because fewer people would be able to prevent pregnancies and Medicaid would end up covering more births. In 2015, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that a ban on funding to Planned Parenthood would increase spending $130 million over 10 years. While independent clinics provide the bulk of abortions in the U.S., Planned Parenthood is the single biggest provider, which is why it has an outsized target on its back. The reality is that, even if Trump hadn't won, the organization's affiliates would be facing financial cliffs and now the pressure is exponentially greater. More clinics will close in the coming months and years, which will harm patient care and further wound a symbol of reproductive rights. This article was originally published on
