Halsey Fights Back Against The Global Gag Rule

Halsey's career is still in its early stages. The singer's guest vocals on The Chainsmokers' enormous hit "Closer" put her on the radar, but she's already carved out a solo career. Her second full length album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, was just released, and it made her the first female artist to have number one album on the Billboard 200 in 2017. She's toured all over the world, and done countless late night television performances. It's been a busy few years, but even during a chaotic rise to fame, the singer hasn't forgotten her commitment to activism. Now, Halsey is fighting back back against the global gag rule and standing up for women's rights across the world.

As Teen Vogue reports, the singer partnered with the Center for Health and Gender Equity to speak out against the global gag rule and express support for the Global HER act. The video was produced by ART NOT WAR, an organization that specializes in digital campaigns for social justice causes. The global gag rule was reinstated during the early days of the Trump administration and the administration also plans to expand it, and it's a dangerous piece of legislation. In the short video (which you can view here), Halsey speaks out against the rule and stands up for women's healthcare in the United States and abroad.

The gag rule will have major global consequences for women's health care. The "Closer" singer outlines what the policy proposes and how it will endanger women. She emphasizes how Trump's version of the policy is harsher than versions proposed by past conservative administrations, and would effectively cut funding for disease treatment. Nigeria is cited as an example of a country with a high maternal mortality rate from unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion that has been impacted by the rule in the past. If the legislation is not pushed back, women could die.

Fortunately, the singer also offers advice for how to resist the administration's order. She encourages viewers to support the Global HER Act, a bill created by U.S. Senator Jeanne Sheehan and Representative Nita Lowey. The HER act would end the global gag rule for good, and ensure that organizations abroad can keep providing health services with U.S. funds and can continue to use non-U.S. funds to provide abortion services.

When it comes to women's rights, this star has proved herself committed and persistent activist. According to Vulture, she donated $100,000 to Planned Parenthood in January and spoke at the organization's anniversary gala. She wants to bring further youth engagement to the non-profit and its cause. She also encourages other celebs to be more active when it comes to women's rights, suggesting to Vulture that it might be powerful for a male singer like Nick Jonas to stand up for the women's healthcare provider.

The ultimate message of the video is important: The fight for equality means fighting for women everywhere, not just in the United States. "It's part of an overall pattern and plan to deny women in the U.S. and abroad the right to choose what happens to their own bodies," she says in the video. "None of us are free until all of us are free, and the oppression of women in some of the poorest countries from Africa to Latin America to Asia is directly tied to our own. Let's do our part to support all women when they need it most."

With so much political turmoil existing currently, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of key issues. Let's hear it for Halsey for keeping the global gag rule in the public consciousness, and offering some real solutions that fans and activists can fight for. This video isn't just educational, it is also inspirational, and more celebs should follow the singer's lead.