Olivia Rodrigo, an international pop star known for top hits such as “good 4 you” and “vampire,” is making headway with her concert hospitality. Currently touring for her “GUTS” album, the esteemed artist is not only providing electrifying performances in her concerts but also supplying fans with essential products like condoms and morning-after pills. However, despite her good intentions behind distributing these free contraceptives at her show, a lot of controversy arose from the situation.
In her concert in St. Louis, Rodrigo partnered up with local abortion organizations, such as the Missouri Abortion Fund, to provide information on abortion care alongside a package that included condoms and the “Julie” morning-after pill. Despite the debates that arose from the abortion organizations present at her concert, the main complaints that were voiced, aside from Missouri banning abortion, was that she had a young demographic in attendance at her concerts.
According to a Fortune article, “Rodrigo’s team announced that abortion rights groups invited to set up at her shows would no longer hand out the morning-after pill because ‘children are present at the concert.’” This disappointed many women’s health advocates who stated that “teens have sex and distributing contraceptives — emergency or not — can help ensure safe sex.”
It is immensely important to ensure the safety and protection of adolescents, especially in this day and age. However, with the internet and various online platforms easily accessible to everyone, young teens are more susceptible to damaging and inappropriate content online than being informed about safe relations and contraceptives by qualified personnel at their favorite artists’ concerts. According to the website Similarweb, Rodrigo’s age demographics range from 18-24 and 25-34, confirming that a majority of her fans or those attending her concerts are at the right age to freely learn more about sexual health and obtain these contraceptives.
Although it was disappointing to hear that she would not continue to give access to such products at her concert, Rodrigo is still a huge catalyst for aiding in women’s health. Aside from donating a share of the proceeds from her North American tour to abortion funds, Rodrigo is also the creator of the “Fund 4 Good” initiative, “a global initiative committed to building an equitable and just future for women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom.”
This was a bold and innovative move on Rodrigo’s end to provide useful information on abortion in a state where abortion is illegal. Her decision to partner with local abortion organizations helped destigmatize the use of contraceptives such as the morning-after pill and provided fans, especially women fans, with a safe and welcoming space.
