Teen says 'childish attacks' by Matt Gaetz helped her raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for abortion funds

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On The ReidOut Wednesday, Olivia Julianna joined the show to speak about her quarrel with Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and the impact it’s had on her fundraising efforts. At a conservative convention over the weekend, Gaetz asserted that the pro-choice women protesting abortion bans are too fat and ugly to be impregnated. The congressman even singled out the 19-year-old Julianna in a tweet.

“I mean, I’m not necessarily surprised that this is a path Matt Gaetz would take, considering since he’s been elected into Congress, his judgment has been questionable at best,” Julianna said. “I’m surprised that he thought that I would just allow him to publicly body-shame me when I very clearly have a reputation and a past of letting Republican politicians know that that kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”

But Gaetz’s attack backfired. The attention he brought to Julianna helped her raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Gen-Z for Choice Abortion Fund in just a couple of days. She even hit back at Gaetz in a tweet after her organization had reached $50,000 in donations, sarcastically thanking him for helping with the fight for reproductive rights. She said the money they’ve raised will be used throughout the country.

“This money is being split amongst 50 abortion funds across the country, especially in states where those services will be needed the most because of restrictive abortion laws,” Julianna said. “So this money is going to the people who need it. It’s going to the funds that are going to help people get the healthcare they need despite these Republican attacks against reproductive rights.”

Video Transcript

OLIVIA JULIANNA: I mean, I'm not necessarily surprised that this is a path that Matt Gaetz would take, considering since he's been elected into Congress, his judgment has been questionable at best.

KYLIE MAR: 19-year-old Olivia Julianna of Houston, Texas appeared on the ReidOut Wednesday, where she discussed her quarrel with Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz who recently said at a rally that all pro-choice women are too fat and ugly to be impregnated. The congressman even singled out Julianna in a tweet. But Julianna wasn't fazed.

OLIVIA JULIANNA: I'm surprised that he thought that I would just allow him to publicly body-shame me when I very clearly have a reputation and a past of letting Republican politicians know that that kind of behavior will not be tolerated.

KYLIE MAR: In fact, Gaetz's attack on Giuliani backfired as she used it as a tool to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in only two days. Just a day earlier, Julianna trolled Gaetz right back with a tweet saying he'd helped her raise $50,000, including a thank you card that read in part, your hateful comments towards me will quite literally help pay for abortion services. Julianna explained what she'll do with the money raised.

OLIVIA JULIANNA: This money is being split amongst 50 abortion funds across the country, especially in states where those services will be needed the most because of restrictive abortion laws. So this money is going to the people who need it. It's going to the funds that are going to help people get the healthcare they need despite these Republican attacks against reproductive rights.

OLIVIA JULIANNA: And while some are predicting a Democratic loss in the November midterms, Julianna doesn't agree and believes women will make their voices heard.

OLIVIA JULIANNA: They are going to make their voices heard, whether it be in the streets or whether it be in November. And I think that we're starting to see more and more Republicans like Matt Gaetz make these childish attacks because they know that these women are mobilizing across the country.