Olivia Rodrigo takes abortion misinformation fight to Instagram
The musician teamed with the Center for Reproductive Rights for videos on bans, mifepristone, midwifery and maternal health.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Olivia Rodrigo has put abortion access, medication abortion and midwifery laws in front of her massive fanbase through a video series with the Center for Reproductive Rights.
The musician spoke with three lawyers from the global legal advocacy group: Autumn Katz, associate director of U.S. litigation; Meetra Mehdizadeh, senior attorney for U.S. litigation; and Hillary Schneller, senior attorney.
The conversations, shared on Instagram by the Center for Reproductive Rights, are aimed at countering misinformation around abortion bans, reproductive health care and maternal health, according to the organization.
Abortion bans and emergency care
Rodrigo asked Katz what it is like to work with people living under active abortion bans. Katz said the Center has brought challenges to abortion bans in 10 states since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
“Honestly, it’s brutal out there,” Katz told Rodrigo, adding that stories from clients have been “gut-wrenching.”
The pair discussed Zurawski v. State of Texas, a case involving Amanda Zurawski, who nearly died of sepsis after being denied abortion care at 18 weeks, according to the discussion. Katz also described speaking with a woman who had to be flown from one state to another to receive health care after seeking treatment at a hospital.
Rodrigo responded by saying, “Not very pro-life to harm these women’s health for the long term and see them in the ICU,” and called the situation “so terrifying.”
The topic is not new ground for Rodrigo. In 2024, her Fund 4 Good organization drew criticism from anti-abortion senators and advocates after contraceptives and morning-after pills were distributed during a tour stop in Missouri, a state that adopted strict abortion bans after Roe was overturned.
Mifepristone under pressure
In another clip, Mehdizadeh focused on mifepristone, a medication used in medication abortions. The Center for Reproductive Rights said in its Instagram caption that medication abortion is used for the majority of abortions in the U.S.
Mehdizadeh told Rodrigo that mifepristone has been studied for decades and called it safe and effective. She said millions of people have used medication abortion since the drug was approved by the FDA.
Mehdizadeh said anti-abortion activists are seeking more restrictions on mifepristone, which she characterized as unnecessary and designed to make the medication harder to get.
Midwives and maternal health
Rodrigo also spoke with Schneller about midwifery laws and maternal health. Schneller is working on a case in Georgia where midwives are suing the state over laws they say stop them from practicing, according to the discussion.
The Center for Reproductive Rights said on Instagram that Georgia is preventing midwives from practicing to the full extent of their training and that the group is suing to remove legal barriers to midwifery care.
Schneller told Rodrigo that Black women die at three times the rate of white women and said many of those deaths are preventable. She said midwives are “a big part of the solution,” but that states including Georgia restrict or bar them from supporting families.
Rodrigo questioned whether attacks on midwifery come from anything beyond a desire to control women. The Center framed the video series as part of its broader legal fight in courtrooms in the U.S. and abroad.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.