'Back to the Middle Ages': The Glastonbury Acts Who Spoke Up About Abortion

Faima Bakar
·6 min read
Many stars spoke out (Photo: Glastonbury)
Many stars spoke out (Photo: Glastonbury)

Many stars spoke out (Photo: Glastonbury)

On Friday, the Supreme Court delivered a verdict that reverberated around the world.

The justices voted to strike down Roe v. Wade, dismantling the half-century-old precedent that protected abortion rights across America. The decision has given states the go-ahead to dramatically limit access to reproductive health care.

Their ruling will now go nationwide: allowing states to implement strict abortion restrictions that will force some people to continue unwanted and unsafe pregnancies or seek unsafe abortions.

Victims of rape and incest will, in some states, have to go through the traumas of pregnancy, birth, and parenthood or adoption. Babies will be born with health conditions they suffer from and even quickly die from. People who aren’t prepared or don’t want to have children will have to have them anyway.

While the news was delivered, Glastonbury was underway in the UK. Which meant stars had the opportunity to make their opinions of the decision clear.

Performers including Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion, Lorde, Kendrick Lamar and more were among those making some noise at the festival.

Here’s what they said:

Olivia Rodrigo and Lily Allen

During her set on Saturday, Olivia Rodrigo invited Lily Allen to sing with her. The pair sang Allen’s F*** You, dedicating it to the Supreme Court.

Rodrigo told the crowd she was devastated that “so many women and so many girls are gonna die because of this.”

She added: “I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have showed us that at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a shit about freedom. The song is for the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.”

Phoebe Bridgers 

One of the most vocal performers was Phoebe Bridgers, who has spoken out in support for abortion access in the past, after revealing in May she had used Planned Parenthood.

During her first Glasto set, she said it was surreal and fun but that she was having a “shit day”. She also asked festival goers to send a clear message to the US decision makers.

“Who wants to say f*** the Supreme Court’?” she said, before the crowd joined in on the chants.

She added: “Fuck that shit, fuck America... all these irrelevant, old fuckers trying to tell us what to do with our fucking bodies. Fuck it.”

Bridgers revealed how she had accessed an abortion while on tour last year in October.

She wrote earlier on in the year: “I went to Planned Parenthood and they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves this kind of access.”

Billie Eilish

Friday night headliner Billie Eilish also spoke out against the ruling.

She said from the Pyramid Stage: “Today is a really, really dark day for women in the US.

“I’m just going to say that, because I can’t bear to think about it any longer.”

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion performs on the Other Stage. (Photo: Matthew Baker via Getty Images)
Megan Thee Stallion performs on the Other Stage. (Photo: Matthew Baker via Getty Images)

Megan Thee Stallion performs on the Other Stage. (Photo: Matthew Baker via Getty Images)

During her Saturday night performance, Megan called out the ruling and also her home town of Texas – one of the states banning abortion.

She told fans: “Y’all know I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t take a second to call out these stupid-a** men. Texas really embarrassing me right now y’all, that’s my home state.

“I want to have it on the record that the motherfucking hot girls and the hot boys do not support this bullshit that y’all campaigning for. My body, my motherfucking choice.”

Idles

Joe Talbot, frontman of rock band Idles, said the court’s decision had taken the US “back to the Middle Ages” during their performance on Friday.

He said: “This is for every mother and every woman and her right to choose whether she is a mother or not. Long live the open-minded, long live my mother, and long live every single one of you.”

Kacey Musgaves

Kacey Musgrave says what she thinks during her Sunday set. (Photo: Joseph Okpako via Getty Images)
Kacey Musgrave says what she thinks during her Sunday set. (Photo: Joseph Okpako via Getty Images)

Kacey Musgrave says what she thinks during her Sunday set. (Photo: Joseph Okpako via Getty Images)

Kacey Musgaves was another US act to repeatedly voice her anger at the overturning of Roe v Wade in her Other Stage set on Sunday.

“Honestly thinking about never going back to America,” she said. “Anyone know any positions for sheep farming going, as that sounds really great right now.”

Lorde

Lorde during her Pyramid Stage set on Sunday. (Photo: via Associated Press)
Lorde during her Pyramid Stage set on Sunday. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Lorde during her Pyramid Stage set on Sunday. (Photo: via Associated Press)

On Sunday, Lorde also made her thoughts known, gaining a lot of support for her speech.

The singer said: “Welcome to sadness. The temperature is unbearable until you face it. Wanna hear a secret girls? Your bodies were destined to be controlled and objectified since before you were born.”

She added: “That horror is your birthright. But here’s another secret. You possess ancient strength. Ancient wisdom. Wisdom that has propelled every woman that came before you. That wisdom is also your birthright. I ask you today, make exercising that wisdom your life’s work because everything depends on it. Fuck the Supreme Court.”

Years and Years

Speaking to the crowd, Years and Years frontman Olly Alexander said: “Women should be able to have an abortion anywhere across the globe. And I will just say any attack on any human being’s bodily autonomy is literally an attack on all of us. It doesn’t matter who you are, this affects us all.

“I know you guys get that, but I just wanted to add.”

Kendrick Lamar 

Kendrick Lamar performs at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt) (Photo: via Associated Press)
Kendrick Lamar performs at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt) (Photo: via Associated Press)

Kendrick Lamar performs at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Sunday, June 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt) (Photo: via Associated Press)

Closing Glastonbury was Kendrick Lamar who also made an impassioned plea on stage.

The rapper’s performance also seemed to allude to the Supreme Court’s decision as fake blood poured from a crown on to his white shirt.

Before disappearing off stage, he repeatedly chanted: “Godspeed for women’s rights.”

Many other stars including Lizzo, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Harry Styles, among others also spoke out on social media to share their disdain.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.

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