On Saturday evening, Grammy award-winning singer Billie Eilish played a show at the Austin City Limits festival where she stopped her set to attack Texas’ abortion law, S.B. 8, saying she almost cancelled her performance to “punish” the state for allowing it to take effect.
During her set, Eilish, 19, stopped in between songs and ripped into S.B. 8, which took effect Sept. 1. In a video posted to Twitter, Eilish can be seen giving the audience her middle finger during her monologue. She said she’s “sick and tired of old men” and to “shut the f— up about our bodies.”
“When they made that s— a law, I almost didn’t want to do the show. Because I wanted to punish this f—— place for allowing that to happen here,” Eilish said on stage. A visual stating “Bans Off Our Bodies” played in the background.
“But then, I remembered that it’s you guys that are the f—— victims. And you deserve everything in the world. And we need to tell them to shut the f— up,” she continued. “My body, my f—— choice.”
S.B. 8, which was signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in May, prohibits abortion once a fetal heartbeat has been detected. This occurs at approximately six weeks gestation. In addition, S.B. 8 allows citizens to pursue legal action against anyone who “aids or abets” someone seeking an illegal abortion or anyone who provides an illegal abortion. People who successfully bring lawsuits under S.B. 8 can receive up to $10,000.
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This law, along with the upcoming Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, sparked a slew of Women’s Marches across the country over the weekend. Dobbs, which is on the books for Dec. 1, could upend the precedents set by Roe v. Wade.
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