When the Backstreet Boys released their biggest hit single “I Want It That Way” back in 1999, they likely weren’t expecting the range of parody acts that would follow. Who could forget Weird Al Yankovic’s eBay parody? Or Big Time Rush and Blink-182’s mimicry of the boys’ signature dance moves in Worldwide and All the Small Things music videos? Now, nearly twenty years later, the song has taken on new meaning for a group of feminist comedians and champions of reproductive rights — the Lady Parts Justice League.
The parody, “We Won’t Go Back-street Boys” is an homage to abortion care providers in the United States and around the world. The song is a rework of the original, with fun and quirky lyrics like: “You are true heroes, you all wear halos
Believe when we say, That you deserve cheesecake.”
“The LPJL promotes their #ThankBank for people to send postcards with supportive messages to clinics that get hit with protestors and hate mail on a regular basis.”
Abortion Provider Appreciation Day took place on March 10 to celebrate the often unsung heroes that have devoted their careers, and at times risked their lives, to helping women access safe abortions. The day commemorates the death of Dr. David Gunn, an abortion provider who was killed by a radical pro-life fundamentalist in 1993. His murder led to a string of violence across the country that remains a serious issue, particularly under the current U.S. administration.
Providers have been criminalized, defunded, threatened, and even killed in alarming numbers across the United States since abortion was legalized in 1973. A recent example is in Ohio where Republican lawmakers proposed new legislation that would prohibit women from seeking abortions even in cases of rape, incest or danger to a woman’s life. The bill could also let providers face murder charges punishable by prison or death.
The League has managed to find the humour in a grim situation, and they continue to celebrate and empower the life-saving work of abortion care providers. The crew doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to calling out anti-choice politicians: “Tell me why protesters gotta hate on you, Pumpkin Pie politicians want to punish you, Oh I will support you and we’re here to say, we love you always.”
The music video is an addition to a large archive of original videos on the group’s website and was released alongside another initiative to thank abortion providers. At least four times a year, the LPJL promotes their #ThankBank for people to send postcards with supportive messages to clinics that get hit with protestors and hate mail on a regular basis.
LPJL was founded in 2015 by the Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead. The group is made up of comedians, writers and activists hellbent on destigmatizing abortion, exposing extreme anti-choice movements, and providing love and support to independent abortion care providers across the United States.
Last summer, the group organized a comedy and music festival called the Vagical Mystery Tour to support local clinics and they organize numerous events and fundraisers throughout the year.
Stay tuned for Winstead’s upcoming comedy benefit show, “The Greatest Shit Show on Earth” at the Cutting Room in New York City on April 17. More details can be found on the Facebook event page.