Olivia Rodrigo is garnering praise for using her massive world tour to raise awareness for a cause she’s long been passionate about.
The three-time Grammy-winning singer, who launched her 77-date Guts World Tour last week, launched Fund 4 Good – “a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom” – and has pledged to donate a portion of her ticket sales from each show to local abortion funds.
For her North American shows, the 21-year-old has partnered with the National Network of Abortion Funds, a non-profit made of up 100 abortion funds across the country that “help ease economic and logistical barriers for people seeking abortions,” including assistance with transportation, childcare, translation and doula services.
“Supporting abortion funds has never been more critical, in an era where abortion access is under relentless attack,” Oriaku Njoku, NNAF’s executive director, said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. “We are excited to be in partnership with Olivia Rodrigo, as she’s uplifting the critical work of abortion funds, and leading (her fans) into the movement towards reproductive freedom!”
Aside from monetary donations, local organizations will also have a physical presence at Rodrigo’s shows.
The singer is in the midst of three shows in Texas − in Houston (Feb. 27), Austin (Feb. 28) and Dallas (March 1) – where abortion is illegal.
Kamyon Conner, the executive director of Texas Equal Access Fund, said in a statement to USA TODAY that the organization is “excited and grateful to Olivia Rodrigo for her support of abortion access through her GUTS tour, and we applaud her for using her platform and voice to shine a light on the critical work of abortion funds and bust abortion stigma.”
‘Drivers License’ to ‘Get Him Back!’The entire Guts World Tour setlist
What is Olivia Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good?
Before going on stage in Palm Springs last week, the 13-time Grammy nominee took to her official fan page’s TikTok to share the launch of Fund 4 Good, which she described as an initiative that “works to support all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom.”
“The fund will directly support community-based nonprofits that champion things like girls’ education, support reproductive rights, and prevent gender-based violence,” she said. “A portion of all proceeds from ticket sales for the GUTS World Tour will go to the Fund 4 Good, which I’m very excited about.”
Her partnership with the NNAF will “help those impacted by healthcare barriers in getting the reproductive care they deserve,” she added.
Abortions have been outlawed in 14 states, with many others passing laws limiting access to abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in June 2022 after nearly 50 years.
Olivia Rodrigo was ‘heartbroken’ after Roe v Wade was overturned
The singer and Disney Channel alum has been vocal about her stance on reproductive rights in recent years. Shortly before Roe v Wade was overturned, Rodrigo – then 19 years old – paused a concert in Washington D.C. to condemn a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion that indicated the justices might upend the 1973 decision.
“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to talk about how heartbroken I am over the Supreme Court’s potential decision,” Rodrigo said, per a video from the concert posted to X, formerly Twitter. “What a woman does with her body should never be in the hands of politicians, and I hope we can use our voices to protect the right to have a safe abortion, which is a right that so many people before us have worked so hard to get.”
The following month, Rodrigo took her ire to the stage at England’s Glastonbury Festival the day after the Supreme Court handed down its decision.
“I’m devastated and terrified that so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” Rodrigo said before performing a cover of an expletive-filled Lily Allen song with the British singer. “I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court. This song goes out to the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.”
Celebs spoke out,but they didn’t save Roe v. Wade. What was the point?
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY
