Britney Spears Opened Up About Her Decision To Get An Abortion
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It's been over a year since the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 decision, but the issue is still front and center in social and political debates.
The June 24, 2022 ruling came more than a month after a leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito confirmed that the justices would likely overturn the 49-year-old landmark case that made abortion a constitutional right in America. The opinion was written in reference to a current court case about a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
When the draft first made headlines, musician Phoebe Bridgers revealed on Twitter that she had an abortion while on tour last year, stating that "everyone deserves that kind of access," and provided a link to a story on abortion funds.
On September 15th, 2022, model Chrissy Teigen also shared her story, saying that her third pregnancy ended in a lifesaving abortion. “Let’s just call it what it was: It was an abortion,” Chrissy said at Propper Daley’s “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation” summit, per The Hollywood Reporter. “An abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance."
Since the court decision, more women have been opening up about their own experiences in an effort to reduce the stigma around abortions and unplanned pregnancies. Singers, models, actresses, dancers, talk show hosts, and others are coming forward and sharing stories about how their lives might have changed had they made different decisions—or if they had not been given a choice at all.
And although the Supreme Court has made its decision, stories like the ones these women share aren't going anywhere. Studies show one in four women have an abortion before the age of 45, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Here are 14 celebrities who have shared their experiences with abortion, including Britney Spears, who recently shared in her forthcoming memoir, The Woman In Me, that she had an abortion when she was pregnant with Justin Timberlake's baby.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears writes in her upcoming memoir, The Woman in Me, that she was pregnant with Justin Timberlake's child in late 2000, per PEOPLE. At the time, she was only 18 or 19 years old.
“It was a surprise, but for me, it wasn’t a tragedy. I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day. This would just be much earlier than I’d anticipated,” Spears wrote in her book's excerpt. “But Justin definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy. He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young."
The singer decided to get an abortion because Justin "didn’t want to be a father." But, she wrote, "If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it." Britney also said that it was "one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life."
Now, fans think that Britney may have hinted at the decision 15 years ago in her "Everytime" music video from 2009, per Page Six. In the video, a young girl passes away in a hospital while a woman in the room next door gives birth to a healthy baby.
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen revisited her third pregnancy, explaining that what she originally said was a miscarriage in 2020 was actually an abortion. “It became very clear around halfway through that he would not survive, and that I wouldn’t either without any medical intervention,” Chrissy said while at the Propper Daley’s “A Day of Unreasonable Conversation” summit, per The Hollywood Reporter.
The abortion saved her life, but Chrissy explained that it took her “over a year to actually understand that we had had an abortion.” She only came to the realization a few months ago when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“I told the world we had a miscarriage, the world agreed we had a miscarriage, all the headlines said it was a miscarriage,” she said. “And I became really frustrated that I didn’t, in the first place, say what it was,” she added, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Ireland Baldwin
In a three-minute TikTok video, Ireland Baldwin, 26, revealed that she was raped while she was unconscious when she was a teenager. She went on to say that following her assault, she "spiraled" and couldn't imagine what her life would've been like if she'd gotten pregnant.
Later in the video, Ireland shared that she had an abortion after she became pregnant with a former partner who "made it clear that he never wanted kids or marriage." She referenced her own parents and their rocky relationship as an example of what it she didn't want for her kids in the future.
“Could I have had the baby and put it up for adoption? Maybe. Maybe not, but choosing to raise a baby without my own financial security, without a loving and supportive partner, that wasn’t gonna work for me," said Ireland. “I chose me, and I would choose me again. It’s your life, it’s your choice.”
Cheryl Burke
Dancing With The Stars pro Cheryl Burke, 38, took to Instagram to share her story after Roe was overturned, stating that she had an abortion at age 18, and that if it wasn't for Planned Parenthood, she "wouldn’t be sitting here with you today.”
"I was practicing safe sex. I was using protection and I was on birth control and sh-t happens," she explained. " I was two weeks pregnant when I got an abortion and I remember rolling up to Planned Parenthood with picketers holding anti-abortion signs and that alone was traumatic. On top of it all, the whole process is traumatic, and the fact that now you’re making it illegal for us women to make this decision about our own bodies is absolutely insanity,” she added.
Cheryl explained that while it wasn't easy, she is not ashamed about her decision. "I wouldn’t be passionately doing what I love to do if it wasn’t for the right to have an abortion and this has nothing to do with anybody else.”
Phoebe Bridgers
"I had an abortion in October of last year while I was on tour," singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, 27, tweeted on May 3 after the leaked draft opinion hinted that Roe v. Wade would be overturned. "I went to planned parenthood where they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves that kind of access."
Many on Twitter offered words of support: "thank you, @phoebe_bridgers, for sharing your abortion story," someone wrote. "Thank you for sharing even this little bit of your story with us. it’s so important," another user added.
Vanessa Williams
Actress Vanessa Williams, 59, revealed in a Nightline interview that she had an abortion after getting pregnant in high school.
"Being pregnant is the most frightening thing that happens in your life," Vanessa said at the time. "I knew in high school that's something that I was not prepared to do, or fight, or struggle with."
Tess Holliday
Model Tess Holliday, 36, shared her abortion story on Instagram back in 2019. "I’m from Mississippi, living in California, married with 2 kids, & I had an abortion," she wrote. "My mental health couldn’t handle being pregnant again & I made the best decision for ME & ultimately my family."
"It wasn’t the 'easy thing to do', it was excruciating on many levels, but necessary. Do I regret it or question my choice? Not at all," Tess added. "In the words of my friend @alokvmenon: 'Abortion is a queer issue. Abortion is a trans issue. Abortion is a non-binary issue."
She also added a list of pro-choice organizations followers could donate to, including the Yellowhammer Fund and SisterSong.
Nicki Minaj
Rapper Nicki Minaj, 39, explained that she got pregnant in high school while she was dating an older man. “I thought I was going to die,” she told Rolling Stone. “I was a teenager. It was the hardest thing I’d ever gone through.”
She later decided to have an abortion. “It’d be contradictory if I said I wasn’t pro-choice. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t have anything to offer a child," Nicki said. Her song "Autobiography" from the album The Pinkprint contains lyrics about her experience.
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler, 47, revealed that she had two abortions when she was 16 in a personal essay she wrote for Playboy's "Freedom Issue." Chelsea explained that she got pregnant after having unprotected sex with her boyfriend at the time.
"I just thought, 'Why not?' I can have a baby. Maybe I'll have twins and give them rhyming names," she wrote. "Of course, the idea that I would have a child and raise it by myself at that age, when I couldn't even find my way home at night, was ridiculous. My parents recognized that, so they acted like parents for one of the very first times in my life and took me to Planned Parenthood."
Later that same year, when she was still 16, Chelsea learned she was pregnant again and got a second abortion. "Getting unintentionally pregnant more than once is irresponsible, but it's still necessary to make a thoughtful decision," she shared.
"We all make mistakes all the time. I happened to f- up twice at the age of 16. I'm grateful that I came to my senses and was able to get an abortion legally without risking my health or bankrupting myself or my family."
Hannah Gadsby
Comedian Hannah Gadsby, 44, told Variety that she had an abortion after she was sexually assaulted. In the interview, she addressed her concerns about a new Alabama law banning nearly all abortions that was passed in 2019.
"They're getting away with it because they've got into the branding really well. It's not 'pro-life,'" she explained. "I'm 'pro-life,' but I had an abortion. That sits very comfortably in my head as a duality."
"I was assaulted, raped and very, very vulnerable," Hannah said. "How was I going to raise a child? I would have ended up dead. How is that pro-life? You can't say women can't have abortions and then provide absolutely no infrastructure to help them."
Jameela Jamil
The Good Place star Jameela Jamil, 36, tweeted her story in response to a Georgia bill that criminalized abortion.
"I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Both for me, and for the baby I didn't want, and wasn't ready for, emotionally, psychologically and financially," she wrote, per People.
"So many children will end up in foster homes. So many lives ruined. So very cruel."
On May 5, Jameela posted an Instagram in reaction to the news about Roe v. Wade likely being overturned. Her message was simple: "Abortion saved my life. It was not hard for me, I live with zero regret, only deep relief and gratitude."
The post continued, "Remember, it is historically proven that ending abortion rights doesn't end abortions, it only ends *safe* abortions."
Busy Philipps
"The statistic is one in four women will have an abortion before age 45," Busy Philipps, 42, shared on her show, Busy Tonight. "That statistic sometimes surprises people and maybe you’re sitting there thinking, 'I don’t know a woman who would have an abortion.' Well, you know me."
“I had an abortion when I was 15 years old and I’m telling you this because I’m genuinely really scared for women and girls all over the country,” she said.
She also addressed the topic in her 2018 memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little.
Keke Palmer
In response to a 2019 Alabama law banning almost all abortions, including for victims of rape or incest, Keke Palmer, 28, tweeted about her decision to get an abortion at 24.
“I was worried about my career responsibilities and afraid that I could not exist as both a career woman and mother," she wrote, according to The Los Angeles Times.
She later followed up with another statement: "Twitter is sometimes too flat and too short to express intimate sentiments. Words without context, very annoying," she explained, per People.
"I am disheartened about hearing the news in Alabama. I feel as if women rights laws are going backwards. Individual choice is being taken. I'm truly so confused at the world [right now] and the policies that follow."
Minka Kelly
Actress Minka Kelly, 41, shared her story on Instagram in 2019. "When I was younger I had an abortion. It was the smartest decision I could’ve made, not only for myself & my boyfriend at the time, but also for this unborn fetus," she captioned one post.
"For a baby to’ve been born to two people — too young and completely ill equipped — with no means or help from family, would have resulted in a child born into an unnecessary world of struggle. Having a baby at that time would have only perpetuated the cycle of poverty, chaos and dysfunction I was born into," she added.
Users flooded her comments: "Thank you for posting this. I went through the same thing as a teenager," someone wrote. "Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your story ❤️❤️❤️," another user said.
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