Avengers actress and mother-to-be Scarlett Johansson is facing down a storm of criticism from anti-abortion campaigners.
The controversy comes after the star showed her support for American pro-choice charity Planned Parenthood by designing a limited edition T-shirt as part of their ‘Women Are Watching’ campaign. The camping aims to educate young voters about women’s health issues and women’s rights.
The actress said she wanted to participate in the campaign because of outdated attitudes in the Supreme Court, saying “when I heard that some politicians were cheering the Supreme Court’s decision to give bosses the right to interfere in our access to birth control, I thought I had woken up in another decade. I was appalled by the thought of men taking away women’s ability to make our own personal health care decisions.”
“That’s when I knew I couldn’t sit on the sidelines and why I’m proud to support Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s Women are Watching campaign to ensure that young women know the high stakes for women’s health and rights this November.”
Her comments refer to the so-called Hobby Lobby ruling, which allows “closely held” companies with religious objections to opt out of covering birth control for employees under ObamaCare.
Twenty-nine-year-old Scarlet is currently expecting her first child with husband Romain Dauriac.
Actress Gabrielle Union and Orange is the New Black stars Natasha Lyonne and Selenis Leyva are set to release their own T-shirts for Planned Parenthood in the coming months.
Scarlet’s comments have proven hugely unpopular with anti-abortion campaigners, leading to a barrage of ugly commentary on social networking sites.
What a Bankrupt Life – Scarlett Johansson Designs Pro-Abortion T-Shirts For Planned Parenthood | Truth Revolt: http://t.co/zFf29sMeaf #P2
— Kelly Gardin (@kellygardin) August 29, 2014
Scarlett Johansson Launches Pro-Abortion T-Shirt Line w Planned Parenthood http://t.co/SVkGetQHUl <>Whoops, just another Hollywood murderer. — One Watchman (@Truth_Monitor) August 28, 2014
I guess she’s not perfect, after all: Scarlett Johansson Designs Pro-Abortion T-Shirt for Planned Parenthood http://t.co/ajbZH5kvU9
— Red__Rover (@Red__Rover) August 27, 2014
I’m not surprised Scarlett Johansson is pro abortion. She loves Israel and they have free taxpayer-funded abortions for everyone there. — White Fright (@UpperLowerClass) August 27, 2014
Scarlett Johansson Launches T-Shirt Line with Planned Parenthood To Promote Baby Killing http://t.co/mSTkxRmULo #Abortion
— Netizen Kane (@NetizenKane) August 27, 2014
@ScarIettJ appears to support Planed Parenthood murder! http://t.co/iIzM3bq0AU — Doctor Damocles (@Doctor_Damocles) August 27, 2014
Scarlett Johansson Makes a T-Shirt Endorsing Murder… Seriously http://t.co/9gsDbuWrac
— Michael J. Fell (@MichaelJFell) August 29, 2014
