Singer FELIN’s Call-To-Arms In Protest Of The Recent Abortion Bans

By FELIN

Dear women,

We are all writers of history no matter if we realize it or not. Bystanders who stay silent let horrific things happen. By not protesting injustices we enable choices to be made for us and not by us.

That why, first of all, I want to thank YOU. You, who march, speak up, tweet, rally, share your story and fight for our rights every day. 

Show support for each other, don’t judge each other. Feminism, or should I say humanity, isn’t about shaming or pointing fingers. It’s about freedom, equality and the right to be who you are, and not being discriminated because of it. 

Dear men,

Men shouldn’t be making laws about women’s bodies. What’s that? Roe V Wade was also decided on by men? Well there’s a big difference. One law is enabling women to make their own choices whilst one law is stripping them of their choice.

So stop discriminating and stop telling a woman what’s best for her. Start speaking up for women and instead start taking responsibility. Equality can only be achieved when women and men unite and work together supporting each other.

Dear world,

I want to do my part. I can not and will not be silent. 

I live in Sweden and this issue raises strong feelings here as well. The women of Alabama and the other states like Georgia and Missouri that have passed abortion bans are in our hearts and on our minds.

I was in the middle of finishing up my debut album when the law in Alabama was signed by the governor. So when I came to the studio the day after it was clear to me how I could contribute. I want to be a voice in the debate on this issue, and for me that’s through my music. So I wrote the song “No More Sweet Home Alabama”. The lyrics in the song are dark, but the reality is darker. We live in a world where there are people who think a person who was raped should carry out a pregnancy to term.

Many times the choice to have an abortion is the most humane and responsible choice to make. That’s right, I said choice – it should be a choice for each person to make and not be made for them. Women don’t get pregnant alone, so men it’s your responsibility as much as hers. It’s crazy that a woman should be shamed and punished for an abortion when she could have never gotten pregnant by herself in the first place.

The fight isn’t nearly over, it has just begun! Louisiana just passed a strict abortion law making them one of several states passing one in the last few months. But abortion is still legal in all 50 states. And we have to speak up to keep it that way. 

Meanwhile, in Europe we have politicians in the EU parliament voting “no” in discussions regarding women’s abortion. In Malta abortion is completely banned, in Northern Ireland abortion is only allowed in cases where the woman’s life is in danger, which means not even in cases of rape and incest. And in Poland, the abortion bans are very strict.

Abortion bans will not stop abortions. What they will lead to is more women dying. History shows us this. Abortion rates will decrease by education, support programs like paid leave, and easy access to birth control and healthcare.

Together we can make our voices heard, together we can create change and we have to do it now. This song is for all women. Let’s raise our voices, let’s fight together and let’s honor the brave women who fought before us by making the world a better place for those coming after us.

Felin is an artist based in Stockholm who is releasing her debut album “Reckless Dreamers” later this year. Her previous releases have been praised by the press in the Nordics and UK. Felin has played festivals in Europe as well as supported The Chainsmokers in Germany. Besides being an artist herself she has written songs for Adam Lambert, among others.