Debate over women’s rights hit new heights in the US earlier this month when a leaked draft of a decision by the Supreme Court threatened to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion.
And John Legend — who shares a daughter Luna, 6, and son Miles, 4, with wife Chrissy Teigen — has now weighed in on the furor, insisting the overturning of women’s rights to terminate a pregnancy is comparable to Margaret Atwood’s chilling dystopian novel.
He told the Guardian newspaper: “I can’t watch this s— happen and not say something. We’re teetering on the brink of not being a full democracy. We’re about to implement ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ into law.”
Atwood’s book features a future in which fertile women are kept as child-bearing slaves, and it was turned into a hit TV show of the same name.
Longtime Democratic supporter Legend went on to bemoan the state of American politics, adding he felt hopeful when current President Joe Biden took over from Republican Donald Trump.
However, the 43-year-old star’s sense of optimism has since been snuffed out.
He added: “I was happy that we were turning the page from what I thought was a dark era in American history. But now I still feel incredibly concerned … I do believe human beings generally want to do the right thing but the conservative movement is not interested in concessions or compromise. They’re interested in full power and full authoritarianism … We have to fight at this point, and I’m going to do my part.”
After the leaked draft of the Supreme Court’s abortion opinion hit headlines, legend and his wife used Twitter to share their outrage and vowed to make donations to independent abortion providers across the U.S.
He tweeted: “Today, @chrissyteigen and I will be donating to @abortionfunds and @keepourclinics to help women afford and access the services they need in a safe and timely fashion.
“We will do what we can to fight for our fellow citizens and democracy. I hope you will too.”
