Lysistrata, the character from the Aristophanes play of the same name, declared a sex strike to try to stop a devastating war in ancient Greece. Alyssa Milano, actress and political activist, declared a sex strike to try to stop Georgia from protecting unborn children in the womb. The state just passed and the governor signed into law a so-called heartbeat bill to outlaw abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detectable. This led Milano to conclude that women can’t risk pregnancy until further notice and must stop having sex — at least stop having sex with “cis men.” It’s apparently never occurred to Milano that women, not just cis men, support pro-life legislation and that unborn babies are both boys and girls. In her fictional cause, Lysistrata had mercy and humanity on her side. Milano has neither, although her lack of seriousness makes her a perfect spokesperson for the backlash against the Georgia bill. It is one of a spate of heartbeat bills around the nation that are sure to get enjoined in the courts but have highlighted the hysterical opposition to the idea that a tiny human being with a heartbeat should be afforded protection under the law. Georgia has come under Hollywood pressure, and not just from the latter-day Lysistrata. Fifty actors and actresses signed an open letter against the law several weeks before it passed. The missive included the condescending line that these worthies find Georgia’s restaurants and hotels “to be comfortable and of a high quality.” The state’s determination to protect the unborn, on the other hand, is completely unacceptable. The signatories thundered that should the heartbeat law pass, “we will do everything in our power to move our industry to a safer state for women.” It’s always amusing to get a lecture about the interests of women from representatives of an industry that produced and shielded so many predatory creeps so long, but Hollywood hasn’t let its own sins stop its non-stop hectoring of everyone else. The left-wing trope online — repeated by multiple news outlets — is that the Georgia bill would give women life in prison if they have an abortion. This is a stupid lie. The relevant section of Georgia’s abortion law makes it clear that it applies to third parties, and has been interpreted as such by the Georgia courts. Nor does it call for life imprisonment of anyone. The common arguments against restrictions on abortion are that they infringe on women’s health and bodies. But the vast majority of abortions are made out of discretionary choice, not medical necessity. And the heartbeat bills underline how another body is involved in the equation. An appendix or kidney doesn’t have its own separate heartbeat. The pro-abortion case is that a fetus is a blob of cells of no account — with a heartbeat. That the fetus is a non-human being — with a heartbeat. That the fetus isn’t truly alive — but has a heartbeat. The heartbeat bills, even if blocked by the courts, have an educative effect. Most people don’t realize how soon a fetal heartbeat begins — around six weeks into a pregnancy. The pro-life bumper sticker “Abortion Stops a Beating Heart” isn’t just a slogan but a fact. As a pro-life tactic to get a test case in front of the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade, the heartbeat bills may be lacking. Chief Justice John Roberts is cautious and unlikely to use a sweeping piece of pro-life legislation to overturn Roe, if he is inclined that way at all. But the heartbeat bills show that, despite the Supreme Court’s effort to stifle it, the debate over abortion policy in the United States is still very real. The pro-life movement has survived setbacks in the ­Supreme Court, the disdain of the country’s cultural elite and predictions of its inevitable demise. Somehow, it will survive Alyssa Milano’s sex strike, as well. Twitter: @RichLowry<doc-sep>Several independent production companies and actors have vowed to boycott filming in Georgia after Governor Brian Kemp signed a highly restrictive abortion law this week, kicking off a pressure campaign that could have far-reaching consequences for the so-called "Peach State." Signed on Tuesday, the new law will ban abortions in the state once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which could be as early as six weeks gestation and before a woman realizes she is pregnant. It's the latest in a series of so-called "heartbeat bills" passed by conservative states, all of which are facing legal challenges from pro-choice and civil rights organizations. In Georgia's case, Hollywood's opposition could be especially consequential. The state has successfully courted the entertainment industry with tax incentives in recent years, sending film crews flocking to the state and creating a local economic boon worth billions. Below, Newsweek has rounded up key details about how Hollywood is boycotting or otherwise making efforts to oppose the stringent law. Why Georgia? Sunny weather and generous tax credits helped position the state as an ideal film locale, and the industry took notice. Major television hits, like AMC's The Walking Dead and Netflix's Stranger Things — and obviously FX's Atlanta — count the state in its regular location queue, while superhero blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther also filmed scenes in the southern state. According to FilmLA, the official film office for the City of Los Angeles, Georgia was home to 17 of the year's 100 highest-performing U.S. feature films, coming in first place and besting California. The state also dolled out $800 million in tax credits in the 2017 fiscal year, more than California or New York, and pulled in $9.5 billion in spending, according to the Georgia Performance Measures Report, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. An August 2018 press release from Kemp's office touted the state's desirability, noting that more than 400 productions had taken place on Georgia soil in the previous year. It's hardly an understatement to say that film crews have provided a huge boost to the Georgia economy; it's created tens of thousands of local jobs and even created new avenues for tourism. Independent companies lead the boycott Independent—yet still established—production companies have taken the lead on the boycott effort. David Simon, best known for creating HBO's The Wire and The Deuce, released a statement saying Georgia would be pulled from its roster of potential filming locations. "Our comparative assessments of locations for upcoming development will pull Georgia off the list until we can be assured the health options and civil liberties of our female colleagues are unimpaired," Simon tweeted Wednesday. Colorforce producer Nina Jacobson, who helped pioneer Crazy Rich Asians, retweeted Simon's sentiments, writing "ditto." Christine Vachon, whose production company Killer Films produced the Oscar-nominated Far from Heaven and Carol, also said she would be boycotting Georgia sets until the "ridiculous" law was overturned. Alyssa Milano, who is shooting Netflix's Insatiable in the state, pledged to boycott filming in Georgia if the ban went through. The actor and activist said in a statement to Buzzfeed News that she wouldn't be returning for another season if filming continued in Georgia. Jessica Chastain, John Leguizamo, Mark Duplass and a slew of others criticized the stringent abortion law and have suggested that they'll refrain from filming there. On the flip side, creators Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams, who are slated to begin shooting their new HBO show Lovecraft Country in the state in next few weeks, released a statement saying they would be moving forward with production but intend to donate all "respective episodic fees" to the state's ACLU and Fair Fight Georgia, which are already prepping for a legal battle over the abortion law. "In a few weeks we start shooting our new show, Lovecraft Country, and will do so standing shoulder to shoulder with the women of Georgia," they said in a joint statement. "Governor Kemp's 'Fetal Heartbeat' abortion law is an unconstitutional effort to further restrict women and their health providers from making private medical decisions on their terms. Make no mistake, this is an attack aimed squarely and purposely at women." Industry Titans Lag Behind Hollywood's biggest studios have lobbied against Georgia legislation before. In 2016, Disney, Marvel and AMC helped lead a sweeping pressure campaign to crush an anti-LGBT bill from becoming law. That advocacy has yet to be repeated against the so-called heartbeat bill. Many companies may be waiting to see how the bill plays out in court before deciding to yank productions. Heartbeat bills passed earlier this year by Ohio, Kentucky and Mississippi are all facing legal blocks. In a statement, the MPAA indicated it was monitoring the legislation. "Film and television production in Georgia supports more than 92,000 jobs and brings significant economic benefits to communities and families," the MPAA said. "It is important to remember that similar legislation has been attempted in other states, and has either been enjoined by the courts or is currently being challenged. The outcome in Georgia will also be determined through the legal process."<doc-sep>“In addition to giving women the right to choose whether to terminate a pregnant, the court also said that right is not absolute and there are certain rules that govern how long that right lasts,” Sanger explained. To do that, it looks to trimesters and viability, ignoring that reason a woman chose to have an abortion.<doc-sep>"Our reproductive rights are being erased," the actress tweeted Friday. Alyssa Milano, an outspoken critic of Georgia's new anti-abortion law, is calling for people across the nation to participate in a "sex strike" in an attempt to reverse the law. The measure signed into Georgia law on May 7, would outlaw abortion 6 weeks after gestation, when a fetal pulse is detectable -- a time before many women even realize they are pregnant. Gov. Brian Kemp swore "we will not back down" while signing the bill -- but the ACLU and Planned Parenthood swore to challenge it in court. Milano joined over 40 celebrities and dozens of film production representatives from across Georgia signed an open letter to Kemp trying to stop the measure from becoming law -- threatening to pull film and TV production out of Georgia. She is in town filming her Netflix series, "Insatiable." Milano held a press conference on the steps of the Georgia Capitol with representatives from the film industry, warning that the controversial bill was bad for business. Now that Kemp has signed it into law, Milano is encouraging fans to join her in a "sex strike." "Our reproductive rights are being erased. Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy," she tweeted. "JOIN ME by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back. I'm calling for a #SexStrike. Pass it on." Since she posted the message on Twitter, backlash has been swift -- but so has support -- including from her husband, David Bugliari. "Hmm ... trending #1 and got people talking about the issue? Working just fine. But, you may have missed the point. It's about women, and their right to make choices about their own health, life & bodies."<doc-sep>
The backlash against Georgia’s anti-abortion “Heartbeat Bill” continues. After Alyssa Milano, Christine Vachon, David Simon, and others called for film productions to boycott the state, Jordan Peele and J. J. Abrams’ production companies have announced that they are donating “100% of [their] respective episodic fees” for the upcoming “Lovecraft Country” to charity. Monkeypaw Productions and Bad Robot will be giving the money to the ACLU of Georgia and Fair Right Georgia. “In a few weeks we start shooting our new show, ‘Lovecraft Country’ and will do so standing shoulder to shoulder with the women of Georgia,” the companies said in a statement. “Governor Kemp’s ‘Fetal Heartbeat’ Abortion Law is an unconstitutional effort to further restrict women and their health providers from making private medical decisions on their terms. Make no mistake, this is an attack aimed squarely and purposely at women. We stand with Stacey Abrams and the hardworking people of Georgia, and will donate 100% of our respective episodic fees for this season to two organizations leading the charge against this draconian law: the ACLU of Georgia and Fair Fight Georgia. We encourage those who are able to funnel any and all resources to these organizations.” Related stories Alyssa Milano Joins Growing Georgia Boycott in Response to Anti-Abortion Heartbeat Bill As Georgia Signs the Heartbeat Bill, Hollywood Shows Little Interest in Boycott Like many other movies and television series, “Lovecraft Country” is being shot in Georgia. As it is too late for the production to move elsewhere, Peele and Abrams have opted for this route instead. Signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp earlier this week but not going into effect until next year, which will allow plenty of time for the inevitable court challenges, the controversial bill outlaws nearly all abortions in the state. Georgia has an uncapped tax incentive for film productions, hence its popularity as a filming location. Among the many movies and TV shows to film there recently are“Avengers: Infinity War,” “Ozark,” “The Walking Dead,” and the upcoming “Bad Boys for Life” and “Jumanji” sequel. “Film and television production in Georgia supports more than 92,000 jobs and brings significant economic benefits to communities and families,” a Motion Picture Association of America spokesman said in a statement earlier this week. “The outcome in Georgia will also be determined through the legal process. We will continue to monitor developments.” Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.