John Legend Passionately Urges Men to Speak Up For Reproductive Rights

Image Source: Getty / Jemal Countess

John Legend is urging men to vocalize their support for women’s reproductive rights. At the Time100 Summit on April 25, the singer-songwriter opened up about his and wife Chrissy Teigen’s difficult experience with pregnancy loss and shared why men should continue to denounce the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which leaked nearly a year ago.

“We have to speak up for reproductive rights, absolutely,” Legend said. “I think all of America, now that the Dobbs decision has come down, is realizing the level of control and authoritarianism that would be required to implement the so-called pro-life agenda. It’s not a pro-life agenda, it’s a pro-control-over-women’s-reproductive-choices agenda.”

Legend, who recently welcomed daughter Esti with Teigen, insisted the government has “zero place” in the conversation of reproductive rights. Speaking of his personal experience, he said: “These conversations are life or death for these women and their families . . . When they have to make these wrenching decisions, it is the hardest decision they’ll make. It is traumatic, it is painful, it is harrowing, and the idea that Gov. [Ron] DeSantis or governor whoever-the-f*ck would be involved in that conversation is offensive, it’s abhorrent. We should rebel against that possibility.”

Back in September 2020, Teigen shared the devastating news that she lost her baby son Jack at 20 weeks due to medical complications. Teigen later shared her realization that she’d had a lifesaving abortion once it became clear the baby would not survive. Since the loss, the couple have gotten candid about the experience and continued to share photos of baby Jack.

The couple welcomed baby Esti, their third child, in January following a difficult journey with IVF. “The last few years have been a blur of emotions to say the least, but joy has filled our home and hearts again,” Teigen wrote when announcing her pregnancy. “1 billion shots later (in the leg lately, as u can see!) we have another on the way.”

Get a glimpse of Legend’s recent impassioned statement below.