Viva Talks: How to process the US Supreme Court's abortion decision

Protesters gather following the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade. Photo / AP

It's a story that many hoped they wouldn't have to discuss this week - or at all in 2022 - but the debate over abortion has unfortunately reared its head again.

Over the weekend, the US Supreme Court released a decision that overruled the 1973 Roe v Wade judgment, which had established a women's right to an abortion as a constitutional right.

While the law does not have a direct impact on New Zealand - abortion was decriminalised after a law change in 2020, supported 68-51 by politicians - the shock that comes with such a significant reversal of rights in one of the cultural, economic and political centres of the Western world can be felt here.

On this week's episode of Viva Talks, the companion podcast to the Herald's lifestyle and fashion magazine, Viva deputy editor Johanna Thornton, commercial editor Emma Gleason and creative and fashion director Dan Ahwa discuss their reactions to the news and the horror they felt.

They also discuss how the fashion industry and other female-led sectors have reacted, dissect how online and celebrity-driven feminism has ushered in a false sense of security, and discuss some of the views raised by key US writers.

The news overshadowed many performances at the Glastonbury music festival over the weekend, with many musicians, including New Zealand's own Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Megan Thee Stallion and Phoebe Bridgers raising the issue in their sets.

In other news, the panel discusses Viva's At Home issue and the rise of nostalgia in our design habits, and they dig into the cover story on NFTs and the impact it's having on the art industry.

Listen to the podcast above, or read more about these topics in this week's copy of Viva. Find more Viva content at viva.co.nz

1:20: The rise of NFTs and what it's done to the art industry

8:40: Heritage homes and nostalgia in design

16:48: Reacting to the end of Roe v Wade

25:50: What went down at Glastonbury

• Viva Talks is a weekly fashion, beauty and culture podcast from the team behind Viva, New Zealand's top fashion magazine. New episodes are available to listen to every Wednesday from 5am.

• You can follow the podcast at nzherald.co.nz, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.