She Launched “The Daily Show.” Now She’s Fighting Red State Abortion Bans.
Apr 2, 2025
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Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show and founder of Abortion Access Front, shares her journey from comedy to activism. She tackles the complex landscape of abortion rights, highlighting the urgent need for involvement against misinformation and legislative threats. The conversation reveals deceptive tactics used by crisis pregnancy centers and discusses the implications of the Dobbs decision. With humor as a tool, Winstead emphasizes the importance of hybrid activism, calling everyone to action in the fight for reproductive justice.
Liz Winstead utilizes humor and activism to educate the public about reproductive rights, encouraging engagement and challenging oppressive policies.
The podcast emphasizes the importance of addressing privilege within reproductive rights advocacy while mobilizing collective efforts against restrictive legislation.
Deep dives
The Role of Humor in Advocacy
Liz Winstead combines humor and activism to address critical issues surrounding women's rights and reproductive health. Through her organization, Abortion Access Front, she utilizes comedy to expose societal hypocrisy and encourage action against oppressive policies. Winstead emphasizes the importance of providing clear information and resources to engage the public effectively while motivating them to challenge prevailing narratives. This approach aims to break down barriers of misinformation and mobilize support for reproductive rights in an increasingly hostile political landscape.
Challenges in the Fight for Reproductive Rights
The podcast discusses the aftermath of significant political shifts and the ongoing threats to reproductive rights, particularly following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Liz Winstead highlights the alarming trend of crisis pregnancy centers, which mislead women seeking reproductive health services, exploiting their vulnerability while offering no actual abortion support. She emphasizes the need for vigilance in defending against state-level legislation that restricts access to abortion and acknowledges the potential for a national ban. This necessitates a collective effort to ensure women's rights remain protected and to educate communities about the reality of reproductive healthcare.
The Intersection of Advocacy and Accountability
Winstead addresses the intersection of race, privilege, and reproductive rights advocacy, pointing out that many white women fail to recognize their privilege within the broader struggle. She challenges listeners to confront uncomfortable truths and utilize their voices to advocate for marginalized communities instead of remaining passive. The discussion also delves into the complexities of holding politicians accountable amidst a changing media landscape, where the traditional methods of shaming and accountability are waning. Winstead urges individuals to stand up and speak out against injustices, reinforcing the belief that activism is a collective responsibility requiring engagement and awareness from all sectors of society.
The Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead’s path to advocacy was a curvy one. She started out as a comedian, first as a stand-up and then working on The Daily Show. In the early 2000s, she co-founded Air America Radio, which was designed to be a counterweight to the popularity of radio personalities on the right.
Today, as producer of the Feminist Buzzkills podcast and founder of Abortion Access Front, she’s weaving together politics and comedy to educate people about abortion laws and give them the tools to fight.
Thank you to Abortion Access Front for the use of its video “I’m Just a Pill” at the beginning of our episode.
Credits | Producer: Josh Sanburn | Editor: Kara McGuirk-Allison | Theme music: Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs | Production manager: Zulema Cobb | Digital producer: Nikki Frick | Interim executive producers: Brett Myers and Taki Telonidis | Host: Al Letson