Nearly 600 male TV creators and showrunners have joined their female, transgender and nonbinary counterparts in demanding studios put protections in place for pregnant employees in states that have restrictive abortion laws.
Last week, more than 400 television showrunners and creators sent letters to Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBCUniversal, Apple, and other Hollywood studios expressing “grave concerns” about the lack of protocols for pregnant employees seeking abortion in states that have banned or restricted the procedure.
“It is unacceptable to ask any person to choose between their human rights and their employment. This situation raises basic matters of equality, health, and safety in the workplace,” the letter states. “Many of us would not have the careers and families we have today if we had not been granted the freedom to choose what was best for ourselves. We are committed, as a group, to protecting our fundamental human rights and those of our colleagues.”
The letter demands a written response within 10 business days from July 28, 2022, the date the original letter was sent.
More than a month after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states ratifying restrictive abortion laws include Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
A bulleted list outlines the specific demands all these Hollywood big names are behind, such as an abortion travel subsidy, safeguarding of medical privacy, medical care — including that for ectopic pregnancies and other complications that require medical treatment via abortion, criminal and civil legal protection, and a pledge to discontinue all political donations to anti-abortion candidates.
In total, 594 men have now signed a letter in solidarity. The letter, which was first reported by Variety, contains signatures from Adam McKay, Ryan Murphy, Jordan Peele, Brad Falchuk, Neil Gaiman, Chuck Lorre and many more.
Read the letter below.
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR FEMALE, TRANS & NON-BINARY SHOWRUNNER COLLEAGUES
In demanding a coordinated and timely response from our employers regarding the imminent workplace-safety crisis created by the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Abortion access doesn’t only affect people who can become pregnant. It affects us all.
You can read the text of the original letter here.