Amidst the outrage following the US Supreme Court’s decision to repeal Roe vs. Wade, which gave pregnant people across America the right to safe and legal abortions, Rage Against the Machine and Lizzo have each pledged half a million dollars to reproductive rights organisations.

Rage Against the Machine will donate $475,000 from the sale of charity tickets from their upcoming reunion shows at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Elkhorn, Wisconsin (July 9th) and United Center in Chicago, Illinois July 11th and 12th) to reproductive rights organisations in both states.

The band shared a statement on Instagram on June 24th: “We are disgusted by the repeal of Roe V. Wade and the devastating impact it will have on tens of millions of people,” the group wrote. “Over half of the country (26 states) is likely to ban or seriously restrict abortion very soon, if not immediately, which will have a disproportionate impact on poor, working class and undocumented BIPOC communities.”

After pledging the money from the two shows, the band added, “Like the many women who have organised sophisticated railroads of resistance to challenge these attacks on our collective reproductive freedom, we must continue to resist.”

Early last month, the band took to Twitter to speak out about the proposed repeal.

“Rage Against the Machine stands in support of reproductive justice and will continue to fight against any attempts to restrict or control reproductive freedoms,” they wrote. “Criminalising access to abortion will only add to the suffering disproportionately felt by poor, BIPOC and undocumented communities.”

Criticising the “constant rightward shift” of both major political parties, the group called for “radical people power against a warfare state”.

Singer Lizzo also pledged to donate $500,000 from her upcoming ‘Special’ tour to Planned Parenthood and abortion rights organisations.

The singer, who recently came under fire for using an “ableist slur” in her latest single, ‘Grrrls’ – and subsequently changed the lyrics – invited fans to take action.

“Black women and women of color have historically had disproportionately less access to family planning resources— this is a great loss but not a new one,” she posted. “Go to lizzolovesyou.com to donate, sign the Bans Off My Body petition and sign up to volunteer and take action.”

Concert promoter Live Nation pledged to match Lizzo’s donation, making the total sum $1 million.

Live Nation also promised to cover travel expenses for any employees required to travel outside their home state for access to healthcare services.

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