Ariana Grande is donating $250,000 of proceeds from her June 8 concert in Atlanta, Ga., to Planned Parenthood, a representative for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America told TheWrap.
“Ariana Grande’s generous donation comes at a critical time — in Georgia and across the country, anti-women’s health politicians are trying to ban all safe, legal abortion,” Dr. Leana Wen, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s president, said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. “This is not what the American people want, nor is it something they’ll stand for.”
“Thanks to inspiring support like hers, Planned Parenthood can continue to fight back — in the courts, in Congress, in state houses, and in the streets — against these dangerous attacks on people’s health and lives,” Wen continued. “We are so grateful to Ariana for her longstanding commitment to supporting women’s rights and standing with Planned Parenthood to defend access to reproductive health care. We won’t stop fighting — no matter what.”
Last month, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law an abortion restriction that’s come to be known as the “heartbeat bill,” which would ban abortions in the state as early as six weeks as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected. Hollywood has responded by boycotting the state or threatening to pull production from the state of Georgia should the law take effect at the start of 2020.
Grande also spoke out in support of LGBTQ rights, condemning anti-Pride protestors who demonstrated outside the venue the evening of her June 8 show. On Sunday, the singer responded to a video shared outside the venue at her Atlanta performance as part of her “Sweetener” tour in which anti-Pride demonstrators brandished rainbow flags with the word “pride” crossed out.
“Man… saddened but not surprised by this one bit,” Grande said in a tweet. “I’m so sorry any of my fans had to encounter this. we will do our best to ensure this doesn’t happen again. proud of u all for not fighting / engaging violently. never worth it. wishing him peace & a healed heart cause girl yikes.”
People Magazine first reported the news.