Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon and other celebs slam Alabama's controversial anti-abortion law

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

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

Reese Witherspoon

Lady Gaga

Busy Philipps, who created the trending hashtag #YouKnowMe

Chris Evans

Emily Ratajkowski

Patton Oswalt

Kacey Musgraves

Jameela Jamil

Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Chelsea Handler

Andy Cohen

Kerry Washington

Alyssa Milano

Bradley Whitford

Janelle Monáe

Barbara Streisand

Dua Lipa

John Legend

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Ellen DeGeneres

Chelsea Peretti

Sarah Silverman

Amber Tamblyn

Billy Eichner

and even right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren

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.