Music

The 1975’s Matty Healy Slams Abortion Ban at Alabama’s Hangout Fest

"You know what's also important? Freedom for women to do with their reproductive systems what they want," singer tells crowd

May 18, 2019

The 1975's Matty Healy delivered a speech against the abortion ban during the band's performance at Alabama's Hangout Fest. RMV/REX/Shutterstock

The 1975’s Matty Healy delivered an impassioned speech against the abortion ban during the band’s performance at Alabama’s Hangout Fest on Friday night.

While speaking about the importance of freedom of expression, The 1975 frontman transitioned into advocating for women’s rights. “The reason I’m so angry is because I don’t believe [the ban] is about the preservation of life, I believe it’s about the controlling of women,” Healy told the crowd.

Matty’s speech about performing in Alabama and the abortion ban @the1975 thank you pic.twitter.com/fxiREQin9C

— anna // THANK YOU MATTY (@esnypilots) May 18, 2019

Healy went onto reveal that he spent the prior night reading the abortion bill, which discussed the number of Jews that died in the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide and mass murder.

“There’s people, men in the active government actively comparing the harrowing difficult life choices of female American citizens to the Holocaust, to the Holocaust. That is a disgrace,” said Healy, adding that “if you think the Holocaust is analogous to those things, people will call you a monster, but I will tell you, you are fundamentally uneducated.”

“The reason I’m so angry is because I don’t believe [the ban] is about the preservation of life, I believe it’s about the controlling of women,” he continued, criticizing the government officials who passed the law saying, “you are not men of God, you are simply misogynistic wankers.”

here’s @Truman_Black from @the1975 talking about the abortion ban at @Hangoutfest in Alabama. excuse my shaky hands!! pic.twitter.com/cZQul7XrYP

— Paige Benjamin (@paige_benjamin) May 18, 2019

The 1975 is reportedly set to release Notes On A Conditional Form—the follow-up to last year’s album A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships—in June. While they’re currently in the midst of a North American tour, the band will head to the U.K., Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand from June through September. A full list of tour dates can be seen here.