Olivia Rodrigo concertgoers got a show — and free emergency contraceptives
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Olivia Rodrigo's voice is loud and clear on where she stands. The singer's team worked in partnership with local advocacy groups to hand out free emergency contraceptive pills and condoms at Tuesday's show in St. Louis.
The move, during Rodrigo's "Guts" world tour, is part of the singer's Fund 4 Good initiative, which aims to ensure "an equitable and just future for all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom."
The advocacy groups set up tables outside the concert with pamphlets of information and resources.
"It was our decision to bring the emergency contraception, which we always do when we table," said Stephanie Kraft Sheley, project director of Right By You, one of the Missouri-based advocacy groups. "It wasn't necessarily something [Olivia's team] asked us to do."
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A portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales from each leg of the tour in North America goes toward the National Network of Abortion Funds, a network of 100 funds that help people seek abortion access. The Missouri groups included Right By You and the Missouri Abortion Fund.
One fan created a thread on social media of the local NGOs Rodrigo has partnered with in each show she's done thus far.
Rodrigo has been vocal about reproductive health care rights in the past. After the Supreme Court ruled in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, she joined Lily Allen to sing "F*** You" at the Glastonbury Music Festival, dedicating the performance to some of the justices.
"I'm devastated and terrified. So many women and so many girls are going to die because of this," Rodrigo said onstage at the time. "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 s*** about freedom."
After the Supreme Court ruling, Missouri became one of dozens of states to ban abortion, with limited exceptions.
"I think it's hard for folks that aren't living in banned states to understand the crisis that this is creating across the maternal and perinatal health landscape, not just around abortion," Sheley said. "And so it's it's really vital to see this kind of support."
Emergency contraceptive morning-after pills, which are different from abortion pills, help prevent pregnancy before it starts by stopping or delaying ovulation.
Some pills — including Plan B — are sold without a prescription at various stores and pharmacies, and can cost up to $50 in some cases.
"To buy especially a brand name emergency contraception off the shelves in stores is very expensive, so the fact that we were giving it to folks for free ... they definitely received it very well and were super grateful and excited," Sheley said.
According to KFF polling last year, a third of adults say they are "unsure" whether emergency contraceptive pills are legal in their state even though the pills are currently legal in all U.S. states.
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