CULTURE

Ariana Grande Donates Proceeds of Atlanta Concert to Planned Parenthood

The musician recently gave a hefty sum of ticket sales from her Atlanta show to Planned Parenthood.


Ariana Grande Sweetener World Tour
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

In the few weeks since states like Alabama and Georgia passed some of the most restrictive abortion laws—which will go into effect by 2020, pending court challenges—celebrities have come out in support of those most affected by the bans. Ariana Grande is no exception: She reportedly donated $250,000 to Planned Parenthood after her concert in Atlanta.

In Alabama, abortion would now be illegal in nearly all cases—even in the cases of rape or incest—and in Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Missouri lawmakers have passed “heartbeat bills.” These bills ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Many women do not even know that they are pregnant before the six week mark.

Many celebrities—including directors, producers, actors, and musicians—have announced that they will boycott productions that take place in the state of Georgia. However, other filmmakers like J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele have announced that they will continue to shoot their upcoming series Lovecraft Country in Georgia, but will donate 100 percent of their episodic fees to the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia and Fair Fight Action.

Some celebrities have also come forward with stories of their own abortions, including Busy Philipps, who testified to Congress about an abortion she had at 15 years old and reminded the Senate Judiciary Committee of the fact that one in four women in the United States has had an abortion.

In an official statement, Planned Parenthood president Dr. Leana Wen expressed gratitude toward Grande “for her longstanding commitment to supporting women’s rights and standing with Planned Parenthood to defend access to reproductive health care.“ Throughout her tour, Grande has also set up voter registration booths in partnership with HeadCount, encouraging her fans to vote in the upcoming elections.

Atlanta is essentially a capital of hip-hop and R&B, and a hotbed of cultural creativity for television and film, too. She’s not the first musician to donate to Planned Parenthood in light of recent legislation; Travis Scott gave his merchandise profits to the organization after performing at the 2019 Hangout Music Festival in Alabama last month. Grande put her money where her mouth is and donated the proceeds of the Atlanta stop on her Sweetener world tour, setting an example for other popular musicians who will pass through for the rest of the year.

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