Jenn Lyon Is Pro-...Women!
The new abortion laws that are rapidly being passed and proposed across our country are easily on the mind of most women in the US, but I know one southern belle who is speaking out! Jenn Lyon does more than take on passionate characters, but she is using her voice to speak out against the restrictions that are being put on women’s bodies and fighting for women’s rights. To learn more about Jenn and what she stands for, please read further in our exclusive interview below.
Where are you based?
Brooklyn, NY
Where did you grow up?
Several small towns in NC. My father is a Methodist Minister, so we moved around based on the needs of the Western Methodist conference.
How was it growing up in North Carolina as the daughter of a preacher?
There is nothing that gives me peace like the Blue Ridge mountains. The geography of the state is just so gorgeous. Growing up as a preacher’s kid certainly gives you a sense of community in the church, but it can also feel like being raised in a fishbowl and watched all the time.
What inspired you to get into acting?
I loved singing and making people laugh. I was also greedy for more than one life. I wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer, a prospector, a ship captain, a diamond thief. Being an actress gave me access to those different ways of being.
We love your character Jennifer in Claws. Please tell us about your experience working on such a progressive show.
It has been a dream. I can’t believe I get to work with such great artists and to be allowed to collaborate in the way that we do. It is challenging and hugely rewarding.
Abortions are rarely seen on TV or movies; however, one of the Claws characters, goes through this experience in the show. While Virginia has to suffer through the protesters, the main cast handles the topic like it is no big deal. This includes Jennifer, who even admits to having a few abortions of her own. Why is this so significant that Claws showed getting an abortion like this?
I think this is so important because there is a prevailing way of showing abortions on TV and movies in the past wherein it is such a tragedy for the woman, or against her will, or only because of danger that an abortion would be performed. But it is also an elective medical procedure that can be chosen because a woman isn’t ready to have a child for any number of reasons that aren’t that dramatic. It is a medical procedure. I am also pro-knee replacement.
Why are reproductive rights for women so important?
If a woman cannot manage her own fertility, she cannot manage her own life. The government cannot force you to give blood or any other part of your body even if someone else’s life is in danger. So, why would they be able to go against your bodily autonomy and force you to give your womb?
What are your thoughts on the laws that are going into effect/being brought to the table in many states, including Alabama, Louisiana, Ohio, and Georgia, that are severely restricting women’s reproductive rights and criminalizing abortion, even in extreme cases?
These bills are designed to agitate and force the Supreme Court into taking them up and challenging Roe v. Wade. If they pass, a corpse will have more rights than a living woman.
Louisiana is where Claws is being shot. There is talk of the show leaving Louisiana as a protest to these laws. Do you think this will happen?
I have no idea. I know that Warner Media has issued a statement saying that they are considering leaving if these laws take effect.
Why is that so powerful?
Boycotts have historically worked in the past in several instances. It shows that women’s lives matter more than money.
Can you please tell us a little bit about A Is For and your work with them?
A is For is dynamite, and started by actress Martha Plimpton and Kellie Overbey, and it stands for “Artists For Reproductive Rights.” They seek to fund grassroots organizations already on the ground fighting for abortion rights and also to use storytelling to reduce the stigma around abortion.
Why is it so important that artists and Hollywood get involved?
I think that artists and Hollywood have access to a larger platform on which to speak and be heard. Giant media companies can have huge sway with the amount of money they decide to spend and where.
Do you think Roe v. Wade will survive the next two years?
I hope so.
Do you think this new increase of women in the government is here to stay?
Yes. And hopefully it will increase.
Do you have recommendations for what the average person can do to help?
The average person can donate, volunteer, call their representatives, talk openly to their friends and family and listen.
What is your motto in life?
*furiously searches mottos*
I don’t know if I have one- maybe “be afraid but do it anyway.”
If you would like to learn more about Jenn Lyon’s and her passions, please follow her here:
Website for A is For: https://www.aisfor.org/
Jenn’s Instagram: @thejennlyon
Claws’s Instagram: @ClawsTNT
Jenn’s YouTube: Poykpac
Team:
Photographer: Jeffrey Fountain
Styling: Veronica Graye
Hair/makeup: Tammy Yi for Exclusive Artists Management
