A total of 1,005 showrunners signed a letter demanding production companies ensure "abortion access" for employees, especially in "anti-abortion states."
The letter was sent to Amazon, AMC, Apple, Discovery, Disney, Lionsgate, NBC Universal, Netflix, Paramount, and Warner Bros.
A total of 411 female "show creators, showrunners and head writers who currently work across every network and streaming platform in the industry today" sent the initial letter on July 28.
"Within ten business days of today we require review of your current abortion safety plan detailing ... policies and processes to ensure our safety, protect our health and defend our human rights," the letter said. "We expect that the specifics of your current plan address this emergency in full, including but not limited to:"
- "Published policies and procedures to provide an abortion travel subsidy for employees of your productions including specific information on how the employee's medical privacy will be safeguarded."
- "Protocols outlining the scope of medical care for employees of your productions, including ectopic pregnancies and other pregnancy complications that require medical treatment via abortion."
- "Policy regarding criminal and civil legal protection, including indemnification and defense against liability, for any member of a production who facilitates ... protocols or provides ... policy information and guidelines to an employee seeking an abortion."
- "Pledge to discontinue all political donations to anti-abortion candidates and political action committees immediately."
The 594 male showrunners replied to the letter on Monday.
"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," the letter from the men said. "Abortion access doesn't only affect people who can become pregnant. It affects us all."
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