Madonna in Rio: plane circulates with message to the singer about threats to legal abortion in Brazil | Reproductive Rights

“Madonnalegal abortion is under attack in Brazil.” Printed on a large green banner, the message was given by a plane that circulated in the skies over the south zone of Rio de Janeiro this Saturday (4), the day on which the Queen of Pop performs for free on Copacabana Beach. The show ends his 40th anniversary celebration tour, the Celebration Tour.

The action was led by the Nem Presa, Nem Morta campaign, and supported by seven other Brazilian organizations that work in favor of reproductive justice, for abortion in cases where it is legal and for the expansion of this right to abortion: Coletivo Feminista Sexualidade e Saúde , CFEMEA, Catholics for the Right to Decide, CLADEM, Criola, Rede Feminista de Saúde and Redeh.

This was the way found to denounce recent obstacles that women, girls and other people capable of gestating have been facing in accessing the right to legal abortion. In Brazil, it is permitted to terminate a pregnancy in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape, an anencephalic fetus or those that pose a risk to the pregnant person’s life.

“Historically, Madonna has always positioned herself in defense of sexual and reproductive rights and in favor of the right to abortion in an unrestricted manner”, he states Laura Molinaricoordinator of the Nem Presa Nem Morta campaign.

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“The idea of ​​doing this action with the whole world looking at Copacabana beach is precisely to draw the attention of her, her audience, those who like Madonna, the world and Brazil about the situation”, he says. The expectation is that 1.5 million people will be present in Copacabana for the show.

The offensives against legal abortion in Brazil

Molinari states that, since last year, offensives have increased to impose barriers to legal abortions, especially in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape or later in life.

He cites, for example, the closure of the legal abortion service at the Vila Nova Cachoeirinha Hospital and Maternity, in the North Zone of the capital of São Paulo, which was a reference in the procedure throughout the country. Furthermore, investigation of Marie Claire shows that the city of São Paulo had illegally accessed confidential patient records, which is under investigation by the Civil Police. Last week, the São Paulo Regional Council of Medicine (Cremesp) suspended two doctors from the unit, on accusations of negligence and torture.

Furthermore, it also highlights the resolution of the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) that prohibits fetal asystole, a potassium injection that interrupts the fetal heartbeat before being removed from the uterus. It is a procedure recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a safe termination of pregnancy after the 20th week.

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According to her, the resolution has coerced doctors to carry out the procedure in cases within the law, in addition to having intensified the refusal of other services to do so, even with judicial authorization.

Molinari also cites the increase in proposals and approval of bills that require people seeking legal abortion to listen to the fetal heartbeat – such as PL nº 22,537, sanctioned in Goiás in January this year.

“Today, these attacks are making legal abortion unfeasible. Anyone who needs to resort to the procedure after more than 20 weeks needs to go to court. Currently, almost no service in Brazil provides late legal abortion, with the exception of Nuavidas [Núcleo de Atenção Integral às Vítimas de Agressão Sexual, da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia]in Minas Gerais, and the Cisam service [Centro Universitário Integrado de Saúde Amaury de Medeiros]at the University of Pernambuco”, he states.

“It is unfeasible for every victim of rape, every abused child, to have to go to court to have access to their right. It should be guaranteed a priori”, he continues.

Madonna openly defends legal abortion

Madonna is an artist and vocal human rights activist, and has repeatedly defended the freedom of women and other minorities, such as the black and LGBTQIAPN+ population. In fact, she spoke openly in favor of legal abortion, arguing that women should be responsible for making choices about their own bodies.

“I think everyone must make their own decisions. I can’t judge. I think there are situations in which it is the right thing to do”, the singer stated in 1998, when participating in the program Séptimo de Caballería.

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In 2019, he spoke about the subject again while attacking Catholicism in an interview with the Australian Andrew Denton. “Let’s talk about Jesus’ point about women. Don’t you think Jesus would agree that a woman has the right to choose what to do with her body?” The phrase became controversial and aroused various reactions from religious movements.

In 2022, the Queen of Pop spoke clearly about the subject again. That was when the Roe v. Wade, which legalized and regulated abortion in the United States, was revoked by the country’s Supreme Court. Since then, states have had the autonomy to decide to restrict or even ban the procedure.

At the time, Madonna criticized the revocation, defining it as “terrible news”. “The law has decided that we no longer have rights as women over our bodies. That decision has plunged me and every other woman in this country into deep despair. I fear for my daughters. I fear for every woman in America. I am simply scared.” , stated the artist on her Instagram.

“I think God has put this on our shoulders now because he knew we were strong to bear the weight. We are strong to fight. We will overcome. We will find a way to make it a federal law to protect abortion rights. Women, are you ready to fight?” concluded the artist.