Issa Rae And Natasha Lyonne Call On Netflix Disney To Defend Roe

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this year, numerous streamers have issued statements to reimburse employee travel costs to terminate a pregnancy in states that have outlawed abortion. Now, showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Issa Rae, Natasha Lyonne, Abbi Jacobson, Ava DuVernay, and Amy Sherman-Palladino are calling on production companies to specifically issue production protectives for employees working in red states. “It is unacceptable to ask any person to choose between their human rights and their employment,” the letter, as reported by Variety, reads. “Currently, any pregnant person working on one of your productions in states that have criminalized abortion does so at great risk.”

The note continued, “We have grave concerns about the lack of specific production protocols in place to protect those at work for Netflix in anti-abortion 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.” The letter additionally asks for published policies detailing how companies will subsidize employee travel costs to obtain abortions as well as how employees’ health privacy will be protected with HIPAA. Pregnancy complications like ectopic pregnancies that require medical DNC treatments are also currently banned in certain states under the trigger bans for women’s healthcare procedures. Furthermore, the letter calls on Netflix and other streamers to stop “all political donations to anti-abortion candidates and political action committees immediately.” The demand is for production companies to respond within 10 days of July 28, when the letter was first issued. Netflix previously said in 2019 that the streamer would reconsider filming in Georgia if the state’s “heartbeat” bill took effect. Walt Disney Co. also came under fire earlier this year for financially supporting Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law. Disney recently confirmed political ads will be allowed on streamer Hulu to accept pro-choice campaigns. Read the full letter below, with the particular example sent to Netflix. We, the undersigned, are 411 show creators, showrunners and head writers who currently work across every network and streaming platform in the industry today, including those controlled by Netflix. We have grave concerns about the lack of specific production protocols in place to protect those at work for Netflix in anti-abortion states. 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. 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.

Currently, any pregnant person working on one of your productions in states that have criminalized abortion does so at great risk. It is important that Netflix understands these risks and has comprehensive solutions in place. The purpose of this letter is to review your current safety protocols and protections on this vital matter to determine whether or not we will continue to work in these high risk environments. Within ten business days of today we require review of your current abortion safety plan detailing Netflix’s policies and processes to ensure our safety, protect our health and defend our human rights. 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 while working for Netflix. ● Policy regarding criminal and civil legal protection, including indemnification and defense against liability, for any member of a production who facilitates Netflix’s protocols or provides Netflix’s 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. As productions are currently in progress in states where abortion is illegal or pending criminalization, your immediate written response is required and expected within ten business days of July 28th, 2022. We also welcome the opportunity to review the written response with your company representatives for additional context should you wish. Our review will be conducted by the undersigned and our legal representatives. Signed, Megan Abbott Diane Ademu-John Ali Adler Pamela Adlon Abby Ajayi Desiree Akhavan Zakiyyah Alexander Bisha K. Ali Gabrielle Allan Kayla Alpert Sofia Alvarez Jane Anderson Lucia Aniello Amy Aniobi Valerie Armstrong Nicole Jefferson Asher Michelle Ashford Liz Astrof Meredith Averill Rachel Axler Annie Baker Gemma Baker Jenna Bans Carol Barbee Sara Bareilles Tanya Barfield Kate Barnow Kristen Bartlett Vanessa Bayer Nichole Beattie Monica Beletsky Lake Bell Shaz Bennett Eleanor Bergstein Julia Bicknell Jenny Bicks Jocelyn Bioh Ashley Nicole Black Amy Bloom Rachel Bloom Andrea Thornton Bolden Kathryn Borel Hannah Bos Rebecca Boss Yvette Bowser Christine Boylan Patricia Breen Kelli Breslin Corinne Brinkerhoff Mara Brock Akil Aline Brosh McKenna Jess Brownell Julia Brownell Carrie Brownstein Gemma Burgess Sarah Burgess Lila Byock Jennifer Cacicio Gloria Calderon Kellett Wendy Calhoun Sheila Callaghan Dana Calvo Kat Candler Kay Cannon Erin Cardillo Bridget Carpenter Charise Castro Smith Ilene Chaiken Yahlin Chang Hailey Chavez Semi Chellas Cindy Chupack Zoanne Clack Eliza Clark Maisha Closson Diablo Cody Anne Cofell Saunders Leila Cohan Emily Cook Akela Cooper Fernanda Coppel Elizabeth Craft Jennifer Crittenden Aïda Mashaka Croal Lisa Takeuchi Cullen Whitney Cummings Alexandra Cunningham Michelle Dean Jamie Denbo Chelsea Devantez Lydia Diamond Marnie Dickens Cara DiPaolo Katie Dippold Kiley Donovan Savannah Dooley Bash Doran Karey Dornetto Caroline Dries Ariel Dumas Lena Dunham Cirocco Dunlap Ava DuVernay Laura Eason Grace Edwards Kerry Ehrin Erin Ehrlich Diane English Anya Epstein Maya Erskine Jane Espenson Bridget Everett Sarah Fain Gina Fattore Halley Feiffer Liz Feldman Nancy Fichman Hannah Fidell Debra J. Fisher Lang Fisher Anna Fishko Jennifer Flackett Liz Flahive Stephany Folsom Leah Fong Claudia Forestieri Dana Fox Emily Fox Anna Fricke Hannah Friedman Jena Friedman Liz Friedman Maggie Friedman Kelly Galuska Sera Gamble Jessica Gao Daisy Gardner Valentina Garza Leila Gerstein Melissa James Gibson Gina Gionfriddo Karin Gist-Brown Gracie Glassmeyer Jessica Goldberg Sarah Goldfinger Emily Gordon Philippa Goslett Susannah Grant Tash Gray Misha Green Kathy Greenberg Sarah Gubbins Lauren Gussis Jenny Hagel Barbara Hall Katori Hall Jenny Han Lisa Hanawalt Chelsea Handler Liz Hannah Alma Har’el Amy B. Harris Dee Harris-Lawrence Becky Hartman Edwards Leslye Headland Sian Heder Eileen Heisler Liz Heldens DeAnn Heline Cody Heller Emily Heller Felicia D. Henderson Christal Henry Tara Herrmann Sara Hess Regina Hicks Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Winnie Holzman A.M. Homes Karen Leigh Hopkins Shannon M. Houston Melinda Hsu Taylor Soo Hugh Darlene Hunt Lauren Iungerich Our Lady J Abbi Jacobson Casey Johnson Erika L. Johnson Joanna Johnson Kathleen Jordan Alexa Junge Mindy Kaling Laeta Kalogridis Angela Kang Kourtney Kang Jenn Kao Marta Kauffman Zoe Kazan Courtney A. Kemp Nahnatchka Khan Callie Khouri Claire Kiechel Marlene King Michelle King Corinne Kingsbury Laura Kittrell Julie Klausner Jenny Klein Jessi Klein Erica Shelton Kodish Jenji Kohan Anna Konkle Jenni Konner Liz Kruger Sarah Kucserka Bridget Kyle Stephanie Laing Noga Landau Amanda Lasher Sheila Lawrence Janet Leahy Christina Lee Young Jean Lee Lauren LeFranc Kasi Lemmons Jennifer Levin Chris Levinson Debbie Liebling Adele Lim Erica Lipez Amy Lippman Crystal Liu Kari Lizer Attica Locke Melissa London Hilfers Rachel Caris Love Jenny Lumet Ashley Lyle Natasha Lyonne Monica Macer Marguerite MacIntyre Carina Adly MacKenzie Jhoni Marchinko Meg Marinis Julie Martin Felischa Marye Britt Matt Vanessa McCarthy Abby McEnany Shauna McGarry Colleen McGuinness Alexandra McNally Carol Mendelsohn Carly Mensch Wendy Mericle Elizabeth Meriwether Erica Messer Molly Smith Metzler Allison Miller Rina Mimoun Arika Lisanne Mittman Becky Mode Raamla Mohamed Lizzie Molyneux Wendy Molyneux Jaclyn Moore Lauren Morelli LaToya Morgan Dominique Morisseau Maggie Mull Michele Mulroney Janine Nabers Margaret Nagle Tia Napolitano Daniele Nathanson Jessie Nelson Kristin Newman Lynn Nottage Marti Noxon Alissa Nutting Jami O’Brien Jessica O’Toole Dr. Sonya Odamtten Nkechi Okoro Carroll Silvia Olivas Tracy Oliver Stacy Osei-Kuffour Monica Owusu-Breen Jan Oxenberg Carolina Paiz Michelle Paradise Sallie Patrick Ilana Peña KC Perry JJ Philbin Julie Plec Daria Polatin Tracy Poust Channing Powell Kate Purdy Jessica Queller Issa Rae Lisa Randolph Ellen Rapoport Robia Rashid Joan Rater Jacquelyn Reingold Nicki Renna Dara Resnik Shonda Rhimes Katie Rich Erica Rivinoja Katie Robbins Kate Robin Jennifer Kaytin Robinson Marquita Robinson Dailyn Rodriguez Jessie Rosen Melissa Rosenberg Kim Rosenstock Sharyn Rothstein Julie Rottenberg Amber Ruffin Marja-Lewis Ryan Tami Sagher Erica Saleh Danielle Sanchez-Witzel Tanya Saracho Stephanie Savage Lorene Scafaria Beth Schacter Jac Schaeffer Robin Schiff Holly Schlesinger Sarah Schneider Ali Schouten-Seeks Heidi Schreck Amy Schumer Jennifer Schuur Beth Schwartz Nell Scovell Sarah Gertrude Shapiro Frankie Shaw Ranada Shepard Janine Sherman Barrois Amy Sherman-Palladino April Shih Keto Shimizu Rachel Shukert Katie Silberman Emily Silver Allison Silverman Randi Mayem Singer Francesca Sloane Alena Smith Nora Smith Nicole Snyder Jennie Snyder Urman Holly Sorensen Rachel Specter Nichelle Tramble Spellman Emily Spivey Caissie St. Onge Jen Statsky KJ Steinberg Dana Stevens Christy Stratton Veena Sud Robin Swicord Maurissa Tancharoen Desta Tedros Reff Sierra Teller Ornelas Robin Thede Betsy Thomas Sarah Thompson Merritt Tierce Liz Tigelaar Stacy Traub Sarah Treem Liz Tuccillo Raelle Tucker Karyn Usher Noelle Valdivia Krista Vernoff Lilly Wachowski Lena Waithe Ayelet Waldman Dahvi Waller Lulu Wang Michaela Watkins Sarah Watson Audrey Wauchope Katie Wech Annie Weisman Hilary Weisman Graham Lizzy Weiss Gina Welch Lindy West Diana Whitten Tracey Wigfield Tracey Scott Wilson Anna Winger Nancy Won Carly Wray Wei-Ning Yu Keisha Zollar Lilla Zuckerman Nora Zuckerman Elisa Zuritsky Lisa Zwerling