Lizzo’s Planned Parenthood fundraiser is a blueprint for celebrity activism done right
“You ain’t never going to see me do something just for clout."
Lizzo knows her platform comes with a certain responsibility. In an interview with Zane Lowe, the pop star spoke about her philosophy and conviction as an activist, specifically referencing the urgency of organizing in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“When Roe v. Wade got overturned, I quickly had to turn Lizzolovesyou.com into a fundraising for abortion funds and for Planned Parenthood. So that’s why when you go to the website, it’s very actionary because we were already doing that for Juneteenth,” the singer said, referring to the annual Juneteenth give-back program that she facilitates. Her website functions essentially as a landing page for various organizations and nonprofits to donate to, an effort she started in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020 to find ways to support Black communities.
“I don’t just make pledges to organizations and donate money to people because of optics or because I feel like I have to — ain’t nobody else doing it,” she said. “This is why I was put here. This is my calling to do good, and you ain’t never going to see me do something I don’t want to do, and you ain’t never going to see me do something just for clout.”
Earlier this year, she added Planned Parenthood to the lineup of organizations on her site, a move that foreshadowed the crisis over Roe v. Wade months later. The singer says she plans on donating $500,000 from the proceeds of her upcoming tour to Planned Parenthood, a figure that Live Nation will also match.
“I’ve never really been somebody who liked just talking about stuff,” she said. “I’ve always felt like, ‘God, if I’m saying this, I need to do something. If I’m upset and people are in the streets upset, OK, let me go out where the people are.’ I can’t just sit around.” The singer noted that she had previously felt helpless in taking action, but “as soon as I was financially able and as soon as I had any type of resource or platform, I was like, ’It’s time!’”
Lizzo’s new album Special, the follow-up to her breakout smash 2019 record Cuz I Love You, comes out this Friday, July 15.
