Topline
A 19-year-old activist has raised over $1.5 million in under three days for abortion funds after she was mocked online by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla).
HOUSTON, TEXAS – JUNE 20: Abortion rights activist Olivia Julianna poses for a portrait in Houston, … [+]
Key Facts
During the Turning Point Student Action Summit in Florida this weekend, Rep. Gaetz asked during a speech why women who “looked like thumbs,” and were “like five-two, 350 pounds” were worried about abortion access.
19-year-old Olivia Julianna, a Texan activist for the Gen Z for Change social justice organization, responded to Gaetz’ comments, tweeting on Sunday, “I’m actually 5’11. 6’4 in heels,” which she wears “so small men like you are reminded of your place.”
Gaetz then responded later on Sunday with a photo of Julianna, captioned with, “Dander raised…” in reference to a linked article that said his comments had “raised [the] dander of his opponents.”
On Tuesday, Julianna began sharing Gen Z for Change’s fundraiser for abortion funds on TikTok and Twitter.
By Thursday night, it had accumulated $1 million (by midday Friday, it passed $1.5 million).
In response, Matt Gaetz told Latino Rebels on Thursday that “it’s always disappointing when people fund murder.”
Surprising Fact:
Julianna has been lauded for her fundraising efforts by Mary Trump and Hillary Clinton on Twitter.
Key Background:
Julianna is a political strategist for Gen Z for Change, a youth organization of over 500 members that focus on social media, and claims to split its donations evenly among the 50 local abortion funds it works with. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, 71% of Americans 18-29 identify as pro-choice.
Key Quote:
“Representative Gaetz’ comments were reprehensible, disgusting and outright despicable, but I am glad he directed his bigotry in my direction,” Julianna wrote on Twitter. “We have now turned hatred into healthcare.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenaebarnes/2022/07/29/rep-gaetz-mocked-a-teen-activist-she-responded-by-raising-1-million-in-72-hours/