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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 9 december 2017
Jane Fonda uses 80th birthday to help others with fundraiser

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. ers trying to find themselves
Associated Press while avoiding life’s pitfalls.
ATLANTA (AP) — Even with To help, Fonda started the
all her fame and acco- Georgia Campaign for Ad-
lades, Jane Fonda strug- olescent Power & Potential,
gled for years with self-con- which has sought to pre-
fidence. vent teen pregnancy and
The two-time Oscar-winner improve adolescent health.
was able to overcome her Fonda founded GCAPP in
insecurity with a strong sup- 1995, when Georgia had
port base of friends, thera- one of the highest teen
py sessions and by writing birth and pregnancy rates
a memoir. But she knows in the country. Since then,
others aren’t as fortunate the state saw a 66 per-
as her, particularly teenag- cent decrease in the birth

In this Dec. 3, 2017 file photo, Jane Fonda attends the 2017 ACLU SoCal’s Bill of Rights Dinner in
Beverly Hills, Calif.
Associated Press

rate for teens between the ... I knew that there was a are horrified that a man
ages of 15 to 19, according 90 percent chance she like that has been elected
to state data. was sexual abused at her into office. He’s triggered
“Teen pregnancy is a fac- age. I learned she lived in a lot of memories in many
tor of poverty and hope- a tarpaper shack with no women who have been
lessness,” said Fonda, also windows or plumbing. ... I victims. I think that it was
known as a political activ- didn’t say anything to her. white famous actresses
ist. “We have to give kids I just kissed her forehead who stepped forward and
hope, so they won’t en- and left. I cried. kind of opened the flood-
gage in risky behavior.” AP: What are the miscon- gates, and now people are
Fonda’s foundation will ceptions about teen preg- realizing how much of an
hold a fundraiser to help nancy? epidemic it is. Now, they’re
her cause. An 80th birthday Fonda: Middle-class kids doing something about it.
celebration called “Eight don’t get pregnant in large AP: How do you feel about
Decades of Jane” will numbers, because they those who have made
be held on Saturday with see a future compromised claims in the past, but went
hopes of raising at least $1 if that happens to them. unheard?
million for her nonprofit or- It has nothing to do with Fonda: African-American
ganization. race. White kids who live women ... including Ida B.
Singer-songwriters James in poor areas of the coun- Wells and Anita Hill, have
Taylor and Carole King will try have high rates of teen spoken out about this and
perform. Guests expected pregnancy, and so does demanded gender equal-
to attend include CNN every other race and eth- ity before white women
founder and ex-husband nicity. It’s a factor of pov- did. We have to be grate-
Ted Turner, Sally Field, Rosie erty, not race. ful for the women who
O’Donnell, Diane Lane and AP: The fundraiser will also have come before us. Sex-
Troy Garity, who is Fonda’s recognize your life achieve- ual harassment and assault
son. ments. How do you contin- is even more rife among
In a recent interview, Fon- ue to grow as an actress? restaurant, farm and of-
da, who stars in the Netflix Fonda: Stay curious. Pay fice workers. Women don’t
show “Grace and Frankie,” attention. Do the work. Get have any power to speak
spoke with The Associated deep. ... You have to do in out without losing their jobs.
Press about the reason she the work. There aren’t any We are now reaching out
founded GCAPP, how she shortcuts. in solidarity.
continues to grow as an AP: You’ve been around AP: What do you want to
actor and the continuous Hollywood for decades. see changed?
sexual harassment claims in Why do you think women Fonda: Where there is
Hollywood. are stepping forward now equality, and more egali-
AP: What made you want and making sexual harass- tarian power distribution,
to focus on teen pregnan- ment claims? sexual abuse is reduced. A
cy prevention? Fonda: The reason it’s hap- lot of what we have to do
Fonda: In 1994, I was trav- pening now is because of is not just think about sex-
eling around Georgia and who our president is. He’s ual abuse, but also have
taken to a maternity ward a perpetrator (President women in power across in-
in Albany, where I saw a Donald Trump has been dustries in decision-making
14-year-old girl who was accused of sexual miscon- power. Then you’ll see the
pregnant. There was noth- duct but has denied the number of sexual harass-
ing much I could do for her. allegations). Many women ment cases drop.q