Actress Ashley Bratcher slammed Hollywood celebrities this week for threatening to boycott Georgia over pro-life legislation.
Bratcher, who stars in the new film “Unplanned” about the life of Planned Parenthood director-turned pro-life advocate Abby Johnson, wrote an open letter at Deadline responding to pro-abortion actress Alyssa Milano.
“I’m incredibly proud of my home state for taking a stand in the fight for life amidst backlash and dubious threats,” Bratcher said.
The young actress said she has admired Milano for standing up for women’s rights, but asked why she refuses to also speak up for the rights of women in the womb: “If feminism is all about equal rights, then where are her rights?”
Bratcher went on to share her own personal experience with abortion, one that she only recently learned. She wrote:
Having just learned months ago that my life was spared on an abortion table, it definitely put a few things in perspective for me. You had the privilege of being born in 1972. My generation was not so lucky. Over 61 million lives never reached their full potential. How many doctors, scientists, philosophers, and even actors like you and me, never had the chance to leave their beautiful marks on the world? I too, just one year ago, was more pro-choice than I am today. It was during the filming of my latest movie, Unplanned, that I was truly convinced how wrong I had been. That’s the power of film.
She urged Milano to watch “Unplanned,” which comes out in theaters Friday.
“Women do not seek abortions because they feel strong or empowered, they seek them because they are scared,” Bratcher said. “They seek abortions because society and the new-age feminist movement perpetuates the lie that women cannot be successful and be mothers.
“Those of us on the other side of the fence are here with open arms saying, ‘Yes, you can!’” she said.
Hollywood liberals like Milano are upset about Georgia’s heartbeat bill, which would protect unborn babies from abortion once their heartbeats are detectable. In the past week, celebrities like Alec Baldwin, Amy Schumer, Rosie O’Donnell, Sean Penn and Ben Stiller have joined Milano in their condemnation of the pro-life bill.
The state Senate passed the heartbeat bill (House Bill 481) on Monday. It would ban abortions on an unborn baby after their heartbeat is detectable, around six weeks. It would allow exceptions for rape, incest and threats to the mother’s life. In addition, the bill would allow parents to claim unborn babies as dependents on their taxes and include the unborn baby in census data. It also would allow mothers to collect child support for pregnancy and delivery costs from the father prior to the baby’s birth.
Gov. Brian Kemp said he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
“I do not think it will hurt the film industry in Georgia or any other business whatsoever,” Kemp told WTOC News 11 in response to the celebrities’ threats. “Us sticking up for our Georgia values and protecting life is not going to protect a bad business environment in Georgia, I can promise you.”
