Pop star John Legend grew up in a church where he was “supposed to be pro-life,” but he has since changed his views — and he wrote about it in a recent back-and-forth with a popular Christian YouTuber.
In late October, Ruslan posted a 12-minute video response to a conversation Legend had with former NFL tight end and TV personality Shannon Sharpe, with whom the “All of Me” singer opened up about his wife Chrissy Teigen’s miscarriage.
The Background
After initially telling Sharpe he “always” supported abortion, Legend said, “Actually, not always. I grew up in the church, and we were taught that, you know, we were supposed to be pro-life.”
“As soon as I became an adult, I just realized that we need that choice,” explained the singer-songwriter. “We don’t need the government telling us what to do, and women don’t need the government telling them what to do with their bodies. And life is complicated, and there are all kinds of reasons why people might want or need an abortion, and the government has no place in that decision.”
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The former professional athlete asked Legend about Teigen’s “life-saving abortion,” which the social media influencer used to characterize as a miscarriage but eventually shifted in 2022 to referring to as “an abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance.”
Sharpe asked if that experience changed Legend’s mind about abortion.
“When we went through all these fertility struggles and had a miscarriage, it made it even more clear to me how personal everything [is] that happens in that room with your OBGYN,” the celebrity replied. “Everything that happens in that room is private, and it’s so intensely personal and intensely physical. A woman feels every aspect of this thing.”
He went on to say it’s “crazy” to “force” a woman to “carry something for nine months” if she doesn’t want a child. Legend added women who have abortions after 15 weeks — a limitation former President Donald Trump seemingly supports — “almost always” wanted to keep the babies whose lives they are terminating.
Legend ultimately argued the pro-life position would outlaw the necessary medical treatment Teigen received upon learning her and Legend’s unborn child’s life was not viable.
Ruslan Reacts
Ruslan, for his part, chimed in to Legend’s conversation with Sharpe. In a video reaction of his own, the well-known YouTube star said pro-lifers “are with” Legend and Teigen on medically necessary procedures, like the dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure often needed after suffering miscarriage.
After miscarrying, Teigen required a D&C.
“You know that the pro-life position is about elective abortions,” said Ruslan. “Your baby was tragically dying; your wife was miscarrying. She needed a surgical procedure called a D&C to take the tragedy of a dead baby inside of her out.”
The Christian commentator went on to say those who support abortion are intentionally conflating terms by referring to clinically needed procedures as “abortions” in order to argue it’s necessary to keep abortion legal.
Legend Responds
The “Ordinary People” singer came across Ruslan’s reaction on Instagram and engaged with the YouTuber in the comments section of his post, titled, “This is not the pro-life position.”
Legend wrote, “The ‘pro-life’ position is that the government should be involved in the most intimate decisions any woman could make. Making something illegal means the government has to enforce and adjudicate these intimate decisions and procedures. The government has the power to force someone to carry for [nine] months. It has the authority to adjudicate whether or not a woman meets whatever exceptions are granted by law.”
“So, after rape or incest, rather than just having the abortion, she would also have to prove that this occurred so that she and her doctor don’t get arrested,” he continued. “If her doctor thinks she needs a procedure to save her life, they still have to feel super confident that the government will agree with their assessment that the woman is sufficiently on death’s door before they intervene to help her.”
The entertainer concluded his comments by asserting the government “has no place in the conversation” about abortion, even suggesting conservatives should agree with him, since they “don’t trust the government in their lives in so many other realms.”
Ruslan replied to Legend’s comments, clarifying the pro-life view “is that unborn babies should be left alone to fully develop and get a shot at life.”
“‘Making something illegal’ is the same thing we do with murder, drunk driving and a variety of other laws that protect people,” he continued. [S]o yes, the government enforces all sorts of laws.”
“I said nothing about rape and incest in this video,” added Ruslan. “I’m speaking to you specifically using the tragedy of a miscarriage to argue for [abortion] on demand. And you, probably knowing that the [vast] amount of [abortions] are not for the mother’s health, rape or incest. Can we agree [abortion] as birth control is wrong. Yes or no?”
Legend replied once more saying he and Ruslan were at a “moral stalemate” because the YouTuber believes a “fetus” — an unborn baby — has “equal or more rights than that woman” while Ruslan believes human beings have right beginning at conception, citing Psalm 139:13-14, which states, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
“I simply don’t believe that,” wrote Legend, “and don’t believe the government should force that belief on the public against their will.”
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