Actress Postpones Georgia Show, Claims Anti-Abortion Law Is 'New Slavery'
Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish chose to postpone a June 22 show in Atlanta, Georgia, this week in response to the state’s recently passed legal restrictions on abortion.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the restriction — Measure HB481 — into law last month, which effectively banned abortion after the unborn develops a detectable heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.
Vast swaths of Hollywood actors and studios, many of whom do a great deal of recording in the state, have come out against the measure in recent weeks, however, saying it is too greatly restricts a women’s “right to choose.”
But Haddish went a step further this weekend when asked by TMZ about her decision to no longer perform in the state, saying the choice “wasn’t tough at all” and calling the measure the “new slavery.”
“Like, if I can’t have control over my body and if no other woman can have control over her body, why would I perform there?” Haddish asked.
“What I do know is, slavery is not cool,” she added. “I read that bill, and it looks like new slavery to me.”
Haddish had initially released a statement to ticket-holders Saturday, saying that she could not “in good faith” put on her show in a state that so heavily restricted access to abortion, according to CNN.
“After much deliberation, I am postponing my upcoming show in Atlanta. I love the state of Georgia, but I need to stand with women,” Haddish wrote.
The actress also indicated that she is inclined to postpone the show indefinitely until the state of Georgia takes legislative action to reinstate access to late first and second trimester abortions.
“Until [Georgia legislators] withdraw Measure HB481, I cannot in good faith perform there,” she added.
The actress went on to indicate that she did not look down on those actors and actresses who would continue to perform in the state — telling them to get the take their “mother f—ing job” — but did say she wanted to remind them that other performers would continue to do so to “create a better earth.”
Haddish is not the first to make such a statement.
Officials at Disney and Netflix have both come out with statements saying their companies may be pulling investments and filming elsewhere should Georgia’s new abortion law remain in place.
Last week 180 business owners — including Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and the owners of such large companies as Yelp, Slack and Postmates — signed a letter rebuking Georgia and a number of other state’s recent restrictions on abortion.
And a large number of popular culture figures have made similar statements in protest on their social media accounts.
Alyssa Milano and 63 other Hollywood personalities, including Mandy Moore, Alec Baldwin and Amy Schumer, signed a letter to Kemp in March demanding HB481 not be signed into law or else the film industry boycott the state.
Thank you to @sethgreen, @DavidArquette @AshleyJudd @michaelaWat @kellyoxford @pamelarackguest and @jamesocromwell who have signed on to join us in opposing #HB841 in #GA. Our letter to @BrianKempGA and David Ralston with updated signers below. #HB481IsBadForBusiness pic.twitter.com/99ZpPMikbt
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 29, 2019
Pleas and blackmail have had little impact on Kemp and other pro-life legislators and governors, however, and they have responded in recent weeks, resolving to stay strong in the face of possible Hollywood boycotts on their states.
“We value life in our state,” Kemp said in response to initial push-back.
“I don’t believe there will be dire consequences for supporting life in our state,” he continued. “I can’t govern because I’m worried about what someone in Hollywood thinks about me.”
“I ran the last two years on these issues, and I got elected with the largest number of votes in the history of the state of Georgia, and I’m doing what I told people I would do.”
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