Janelle Monae gestures a middle finger as she acknowledges the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade has the topic of abortion at the forefront of public discourse. As a result, people – including Black Hollywood celebrities – are weighing in on their stances on the matter.
Recent polls show the attitude of Black Americans has shifted significantly over the last decade to believing abortion is morally and legally acceptable under any circumstances.
According to a Gallup poll, 46 percent of Black Americans believed in 2020 that abortion was morally acceptable compared with 31 percent in 2007. The same poll showed that 32 percent of Black Americans believed abortion should be legal under any circumstances in 2020, compared with 24 percent in 2007.
A poll by UCLA showed that 59 percent of Black Americans support abortion in 2022. Black Hollywood celebrities also seem to be following the trend.
Popular female MC Megan Thee Stallion showed she aligned with the pro-choice crowd at a recent show when she got the audience to scream, “My body, my muthaf***in’ choice.”
“You know it wouldn’t be me if I didn’t take a second to call out these stupid a– men,” Megan said during her set at the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, June 26, in the U.K. “I mean, godd*mn. What else you want?”
The “Plan B” MC also said her home state of Texas was “embarrassing” her with its stance on abortion. “I want to have it on the record that the motherf***ing hot girls and the hot boys do not support this bullsh*t that y’all campaigning for.”
Kendrick Lamar echoed his co-headliner at the festival when he seemed to voice his support for a woman’s right to choose, adding the lyrics, “They judge me; they judge Christ / Godspeed for women’s rights” during his set while performing “Savior” – which he called his “favorite song” from his latest album.
Janelle Monae was much more direct in voicing her disdain for the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe during comments at the BET Awards. Not only did Monae say, “F**k you Supreme Court,” she also stuck out her middle finger in a show of defiance
“These artists are making art on our own terms, owning our truths and expressing ourselves freely and unapologetically in a world that tries to control and police our bodies, my body and our decisions, my decisions,” Monae said. “F**k you Supreme Court. I know we’re celebrating us right now as we should. We absolutely deserve to celebrate — especially now we must celebrate our art by protecting our right and our truths.”
Some Black celebrities lauded the ruling, but they were in the minority. Actress Kimberly Elise came under fire after she voiced support for overturning Roe on social media.
“Millions of babies will be saved from death by abortion due to the overturning of Roe V. Wade. Hallelujah! #allglorybetoGod,” Elise wrote in the caption of an Instagram post with a photo of a baby and biblical scripture from Psalms 139:13-14.
Gospel singer Travis Greene also voiced disapproval of abortion.
“Our bodies don’t belong to us. God is the giver and sustainer of Life. It is scary and heartbreaking to hear Believers actually support abortion,” Greene wrote in an Instagram post under a screenshot of the biblical scripture 1 Corinthians 6:19.
“The idea that we should do what we want with ‘our bodies’ is unbiblical and demonic. If doctors had their way, our first son Jace would’ve been aborted – but God Made a Way!! He has the Final Say – not culture, not policies, not social media,” Greene wrote. “The Bible is True, God is real, and the devil is mad. God heal our land and save Your precious babies.”
PHOTO: Janelle Monae gestures a middle finger as she acknowledges the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
