This week lawmakers passed America's most restrictive abortion law in Alabama, the state ranked 50th for education and 46th for health care by US News and World Report. 25 white male state senators passed the draconian bill, which punishes doctors who perform abortions with 10-99 years in prison. The law allows exceptions if the mother's health is at serious risk, but not in cases of rape or incest.
The governor of Alabama, which ranks 45th for economy, opportunity and crime and corrections, signed the bill into law yesterday. "To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God," Republican Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement. She added that she hopes the bill brings US Supreme Court to "revisit" Roe v. Wade.
In 1973's landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional "right to privacy" protects a woman's choice to have an abortion. As a result, states cannot pass laws that put an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions. But that hasn't stopped them from trying! Several state lawmakers have passed cumbersome restrictions that force abortion providers to shut down, plus insidious "heartbeat bills" that outlaw abortions after the six week mark; at that point, the embryo is the size of a pomegranate seed and many women don't even know they're pregnant.
In the wake of Alabama's controversial bill, several outraged citizens have spoken out on social media. This includes several high-profile celebrities, including Rihanna, Reese Witherspoon and Lady Gaga. Here's a round-up of all the stars who oppose Alabama lawmakers turning their state into a Handmaid's Tale theme park.
Rihanna[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/rihanna/status/1129042058914742273]]
Reese Witherspoon[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ReeseW/status/1128774847981445120]]
Lady Gaga[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/1128721548502691840]]
Busy Philipps, who created the trending hashtag #YouKnowMe[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BusyPhilipps/status/1128515490559610881]]
Chris Evans[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ChrisEvans/status/1128498350930702337]]
Emily Ratajkowski[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxh9WTfhdHt/]]
Patton Oswalt[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/pattonoswalt/status/1128537023466299392]]
Kacey Musgraves[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/KaceyMusgraves/status/1129004227639087105]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/jameelajamil/status/1128781058638589953]]
Jesse Tyler Ferguson[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/jessetyler/status/1128775164215341056]]
Chelsea Handler[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/chelseahandler/status/1128831862225424385]]
Andy Cohen[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Andy/status/1128509982280957953]]
Kerry Washington[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/kerrywashington/status/1128545802236727296]]
Alyssa Milano[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Alyssa_Milano/status/1128503449749020672]]
Bradley Whitford[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/WhitfordBradley/status/1128544863467790336]]
Janelle Monáe[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/JanelleMonae/status/1128493603574169604]]
Barbara Streisand[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/BarbraStreisand/status/1128757851395063809]]
Dua Lipa[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/DUALIPA/status/1129019090226556928]]
John Legend[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/johnlegend/status/1128462199389732865]]
Lin-Manuel Miranda[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/Lin_Manuel/status/1128651652603555840]]
Ellen DeGeneres[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/TheEllenShow/status/1129081297484242945]]
Chelsea Peretti[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/chelseaperetti/status/1128664123015778304]]
Sarah Silverman[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/SarahKSilverman/status/1128553941749227521]]
Amber Tamblyn[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/ambertamblyn/status/1129054409676214272]]
Billy Eichner[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/billyeichner/status/1128518372025556992]]
and even right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/TomiLahren/status/1129094589267173376]]
Some people may complain that celebrities should shut up about politics, and stick to acting, singing and playing silly games with Jimmy Fallon. However, everyone in the US has a right to share their opinion, regardless of their profession. What's more, there's been a lot of crossover between Hollywood and Washington: just take Bedtime For Bonzo star Ronald Reagan and The Apprentice host Donald Trump.
