Maya Dhillon

Whenever I fear that we have no truly iconic Gen Z pop stars, I remember Olivia Rodrigo and sigh with relief. Though I enjoy her music, it is far from the most admirable thing about her. It is the 21-year-old’s vocal stance on politics and social issues that sets her apart from her peers. 

Recently, Rodrigo came under fire for allowing contraceptives and sexual health/wellbeing products to be handed out to fans. This was first documented at her show in Charlotte, North Carolina on 8th March, but it didn’t make international headlines. That is until she played in St. Louis, Missouri – a state where abortion is banned. 

Rodrigo 4 Reproductive Rights

Reproductive rights is an issue that Rodrigo has long campaigned for. In 2022, she used her Glastonbury debut to call out the five Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v Wade. She then invited Lily Allen on stage to sing her song ‘F*ck You.’

Now, as part of her GUTS world tour, a portion of all ticket sales will go towards the singer’s ‘Fund 4 Good’ to support women’s charities and reproductive health matters. 

For the U.S. leg of the tour, she even teamed up with the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) to provide women with safe and affordable reproductive care.

https://twitter.com/rodrigotimes/status/1769083810451505644?s=46&t=6mf_lECnrbmgqosbaNGn5g

Still, what happened in St. Louis triggered a wild divide on social media, with some heralding Rodrigo a hero and others calling her a ‘harlot’. The backlash led her to stop the initiative, though she continues to support reproductive health causes. 

So, why was there such a backlash to Rodrigo handing out these items and, consequently, why she was right to do so?

Roe v Wade

When talking about reproductive rights in the United States, it is impossible to do so without mentioning Roe v Wade: the revolutionary decision made by the Supreme Court in 1973 that protected a woman’s right to an abortion.

Since then, it has been a matter of contention and consistently under attack, particularly from the right wing, religious groups and pro-life movements. But, no matter how hotly contested, a woman’s right to an abortion in the U.S. remained – until June 2022, when Roe v Wade was overturned. 

“… to say handing out contraceptives at concerts is inappropriate is naive at best and willfully ignorant at worst”

In Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court ruled that abortion was not a right “deeply rooted in this nation’s history or tradition.” This gave each state permission to create its own legislation and procedures for abortions.

So, when condoms and Plan B were handed out at Rodrigo’s Missouri concert, many pro-lifers viewed it as her encouraging fans to have sex and get abortions.

In reality, it only encouraged safe sex practices. Women in Missouri in need of an abortion often have to travel out of state, at great personal cost, to get one. All Rodrigo did was try to ensure that fewer people would end up in that tricky position in the first place.

Young People And Sex

Much of the criticism also revolves around the demographic of her fanbase, widely perceived to be pre-teen and teenage girls.

I have a few issues with this discourse.

It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure an artist is appropriate for their child to see in concert. Rodrigo curses, sings about having sex with her ex and fills her songs with cheeky innuendos. Though she had her beginnings in children’s television, there’s nothing in her discography that encourages the notion that she’s kid-friendly. 

It’s similar to Lady Gaga calling out parents who got upset when they brought kids to her show.

Rodrigo is not a ‘kid’s’ singer, and if parents feel she is inappropriate for their children, they shouldn’t buy their kids tickets to her concerts. 

In the United States, the age of consent is at least 16. Anybody who has ever been a teenager will know that this doesn’t mean that nobody has sex before then; in 2022, there were 143,422 babies born to mothers aged 15-19. 

Sex is a natural part of life and curiosity about sex is a natural part of puberty. There will inevitably be young people having sex. I am not arguing that this is something to celebrate, but it does happen.

To ignore that and then say handing out contraceptives at concerts is inappropriate is naive at best and willfully ignorant at worst.

What Now?

Rodrigo’s decision to stop handing out contraceptives at her shows is upsetting but understandable. To be the poster girl for reproductive rights is a lot for anyone to handle, especially a young artist.

Whilst I wish this part of her campaign had been allowed to continue, I know she will not only continue to be a voice for reproductive rights and other women’s issues but extend that voice to other worthy causes. 

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Featured image courtesy of Brett Jordan via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Maya graduated from the University of Oxford in June 2022, with a degree in Spanish and Linguistics. She is currently getting her NCTJ qualification at News Associates.

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