Phoebe Gates Talks Abortion, Says She 'Won’t Accept' Her Generation Being 'Less Free Than Those Before Us' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Phoebe Gates.Photo:Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

After theDobbsSupreme Court decision tooverturnRoe v. Wadein 2022,Phoebe Gatesrecalls an instant and overwhelming feeling of anger.

The 22-year-old daughter ofBill GatesandMelinda French Gatessays it’s “ridiculous” that access to abortion and overall reproductive freedom is being taken away, which will impact young women like herself more than anyone.

At the time, Gates was with her mother, who told her, “Okay, stay mad. That’s great. What are you going to do about that?”

The series provides a close look at the impact of reproductive freedom restrictions, highlighting stories from people seeking reproductive healthcare, frontline workers, and abortion rights advocates.

“I think that choice is a fundamental freedom upon which all other freedoms are built,” she tells PEOPLE. “Our generation of women is now less free than those before us. How could I ever accept that? I won’t and I know I’m in good company.”

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Gates admits that with her platform and privilege, she felt a responsibility to speak up.

Therecent college graduatedonated millions of dollarsto abortion rights groups and has frequently used her social media platform tosupport reproductive freedom. Meanwhile, Kloss worked as a care escort for Planned Parenthood patients, and founded theGateway Coalition, a collective that funds clinics providing reproductive healthcare in the Midwest.

“The way you use your voice and your privilege really, really matters,” Gates says, noting that it’s one of the shared values that catalyzed her friendship with Kloss.

Phoebe Gates and Karlie Kloss.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Astrid Stawiarz/Getty

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Astrid Stawiarz/Getty

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The 32-year-old model and mom of two agrees that working with Gates was simply an extension of the advocacy work they’ve done individually. She wants to “create a sense of empathy and understanding as to why this matters for all of us.”

“Here in America, I never thought that access to care would be something we would be needing to protect. And here we are,” Kloss tells PEOPLE.

“We wanted to tell stories that people who might not be living this experience might not understand what it’s like in the shoes of somebody seeking care or somebody trying to fight to keep the lights open in a clinic,” she explains. “And the role that plays in providing access to care for not only thousands of people locally, but also people coming from all over the region to access care in that place.”

Gates adds that she hopesEverybody’s Fightand her and Kloss’ advocacy not only get others to better understand the importance of reproductive freedom but understand that making a difference is possible.

“They can actually make a change and take action. They can go out and vote. They can support state ballot measures. They can get involved with these organizations that we’re talking about,” she tells PEOPLE. “While this is a huge issue, there is tangible change that they can make.”

Everybody’s Fight: An In Bloom Series —which includes 3 documentaries and 2 narrative short films — is out now onYouTube.

source: people.com