Katy Perry Facing Backlash for Fourth of July Tweet

By Stephen Andrew

Katy Perry is facing some backlash for a tweet she posted in honor of the Fourth of July. On Monday, the singer wrote in a Twitter post, "'Baby you're a firework' is a 10 but women in the U.S. have fewer rights than an actual sparkler smh." The tweet is in reference to the recent Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade, a decades-old ruling that legalized abortion on a national level.

The American Idol judge had some supporters, but others called out the fact that she was vocally supportive of Rick Caruso's run for Los Angeles mayor after the former Republican previously funded anti-abortion efforts. "Girl you endorsed Rick Caruso maybe sit this one out," a Twitter user hit back. "Katy, how about supporting Progressives and not Billionaires who are the problem?" someone else suggested. "You supported an anti-abortion mayoral candidate in the last 30 days," a third person wrote, noting that Perry tweeted "RICK CARUSO FTW" on June 4.

Caruso is a billionaire real estate mogul currently running for L.A. mayor as a Democrat, though he was previously a registered Republican. Newsweek reports that one of Caruso's former opponents, Mike Feuer, accused the businessman of "providing millions of dollars to the GOP and anti-choice Republican Presidents and Presidential candidates-from George W. Bush to Mitt Romney, and more recently, John Kasich."

The outlet also noted that, ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood had urged Caruso to issue an apology for his past funding. "You have supported some of the strongest enemies to reproductive rights in the country. You have used your wealth and influence to support policymakers who likened abortion to murder, and who have made concerted efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and overturn Roe v. Wade," executive director Celinda Vázquez reportedly wrote in a letter to Caruso.

"You now claim that you have had a change of heart, but that is not enough. Voters need a clear picture of where you stand on reproductive rights and a better understanding of why you supported such harmful policies and lawmakers in the past," she added. Notably, Caruso later tweeted that he is "pro-choice" and if elected he would "vigorously protect a woman's right to choose." Additionally, Caruso's campaign has said, "Rick has always been pro-choice and has always supported Roe v. Wade."

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