5 Celebrities Who Have Advocated For Reproductive Rights Ahead Of The 2024 Election

Although many things are at stake with this upcoming presidential election, reproductive rights is one of the most important. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, we've already seen the fallout of SCOTUS' decision and the lives lost due to abortion now being illegal in some states. If Trump were to be re-elected, despite his current flip-flopping on the subject, there's a good chance that abortion will be made illegal across the country. When the Trump administration finishes taking away that right, they'll be coming for birth control too.

Abortion isn't just healthcare, but a human right and a personal choice, even though the government has always been involved. According to a 2017 study published in Health and Human Rights Journal, there were three main reasons why government restrictions were put into place at the end of the 19^th century regarding abortion: to protect women from unsafe procedures; it was a sin or a moral crime; and to save the fetus. In other words, it's always been about controlling women's bodies.

Because of the weight of this election, an onslaught of celebrities have come out to advocate for reproductive rights — and not just celebrities with a uterus. Just two days ago, Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad," gave an impassioned speech about reproductive rights and why they should be protected. Because Walter White certainly isn't alone, here are other celebrities who are advocating for reproductive rights ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

In September 2024, Sally Field took to Instagram to post a video about the illegal abortion she had at 17. As Field explained, having been a child of the 1950s — a time when sexual health was a scandalous topic — she became pregnant and sought an illegal abortion in Tijuana, Mexico. The person who performed the abortion didn't use anesthesia, according to Field, who said she could feel everything. Then she realized the person giving her the abortion was also molesting her.

"So I had to figure out how can I make my arms move to push him away? It was just this absolute pit of shame," said Field, who admitted she was hesitant to come forward with her story, but believed it was essential it be heard. "Then when it was finished, they said, 'Go, go, go, go, go,' like the building was on fire. They didn't want me there. It was illegal."

She concluded the story about the "hideous and life-altering" experience by announcing her support for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. "Everyone, please, pay attention to this election, up and down the ballot, in every state — especially those with ballot initiatives that could protect reproductive freedom," Field wrote in the caption for the video. "PLEASE. WE CAN'T GO BACK!!"

In an interview with People in September 2024, Jennifer Lawrence threw her support behind Kamala Harris, because of where Harris stands on reproductive rights. "Abortion is literally on the ballot," said Lawrence. "That's the most important thing is to not let somebody into the White House who is going to ban abortion."

Because Lawrence so adamantly believes in women's rights, she's the executive producer of two documentaries. "Bread and Roses" from 2023 is about women living in Afghanistan under Taliban rule — Malala Yousafzai is also an executive producer. The second documentary that Lawrence is involved with, "Zurawski v Texas," is about the case of the same name in which five women who were denied abortions and two OBGYNs sued Texas to clarify what the state regarded as medical emergency exceptions when terminating a pregnancy. In May 2024, the Texas Supreme Court rejected the claim brought against the state and also refused to elaborate on medical exceptions. This is just one of many Texas abortion-related lawsuits that have taken place since 2022.

When the celebrities showed up at the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, the topic of reproductive rights got a lot of noise. Even Oprah Winfrey voiced her advocacy for it. During her DNC speech in which she endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, Winfrey said of reproductive rights, "If you do not have autonomy over this, over this," she said, pointing to her body. "If you cannot control when and how you choose to bring your children into this world and how they are raised and supported, there is no American dream."

In September 2024, Winfrey and Diane von Furstenberg sat down with CNBC's Tania Bryer to talk about reproductive rights and Winfrey doubled down on what she had said in August at the DNC. "She [Harris] should be president of the United States for this moment in time, where decency, honor, and respect — particularly for other women, and other women's bodies and their rights — is on the line," Winfrey said. "The most basic primal choice is being able to decide when or how to have children, and whether or not you choose to bring children into the world and take on that responsibility. I think that's major for right now." Hear, hear, Oprah!

In October 2024, Julia Roberts headed back to her home state of Georgia in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. At a Cherokee County Reproductive Freedom Rally in Canton, Georgia, Roberts took the stage to give a speech that focused on women's reproductive rights. Considering, at the moment, abortion is illegal after the six-week mark in Georgia, you have to wait 24 hours to have an abortion after you've been counseled, and there are only 13 abortion providers in the state, Georgia should be exercising their right to vote and protect bodily autonomy.

"I believe in Georgia. I wouldn't have come home if I didn't believe that we can accomplish really beautiful goals that will extend beyond our state's borders," Roberts said during her speech. "I just hope that all the women here tonight talk to all the men that aren't here tonight. And all you brave men who are here tonight, talk to all the other men who aren't here tonight." Roberts went on to tell people to make sure they're registered to vote and to make sure everyone they know is registered, even if the people in their life aren't voting for the person you want them to. "It is the United States of America and we've been lacking in the 'united' part for so long," said Roberts.

On National Voter Registration Day, Billie Eilish, alongside her brother Finneas O'Connell, posted a video on X endorsing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, while highlighting reproductive rights as being one of their reasons.

"We are voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because they are fighting to protect our reproductive freedom, our planet, and our democracy," said Eilish in the video. "We cannot let extremists control our lives, our freedoms, and our future," said Finneas. "The only way to stop them, and the dangerous Project 2025 agenda, is to vote and elect Kamala Harris." Eilish added toward the end: "Vote like your life depends upon it, because it does."

Eilish also participated in Harris's ad about the dangers of not having reproductive freedom by lending her vocals to the end of it. In June 2022, just after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Eilish mourned SCOTUS' decision at Glastonbury saying, "Today is a really, really dark day for women in the US," Eilish said. "I'm just going to say that because I can't bear to think about it any longer." That same night at the festival Phoebe Bridgers, a member of queer supergroup Boygenius, got on stage and shared the same sentiment.