Advertisement

Hollywood creators demand protections for workers in anti-abortion states

By Pedro Oliveira Jr.
Shonda Rhimes accepts the Television Showman of the Year award at the 51st Annual Publicists Awards Luncheon held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California in February 2014. File Photo by Phil McCarten/UPI
1 of 3 | Shonda Rhimes accepts the Television Showman of the Year award at the 51st Annual Publicists Awards Luncheon held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California in February 2014. File Photo by Phil McCarten/UPI | License Photo

July 28 (UPI) -- A vanguard of more than 400 Hollywood creatives is demanding immediate action from their studios' top executives, writing in a bold letter on Thursday that they have "grave concerns" over their bosses' efforts to protect workers in anti-abortion states.

The letter is signed by 411 creators and showrunners -- including Shonda Rhimes, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Sara Bareilles -- and was delivered to leadership at Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC Universal, Apple, Paramount, Lionsgate, Amazon and AMC.

Advertisement

"Currently, any pregnant person working on one of your productions in states that have criminalized abortion does so at great risk," reads the letter, obtained by Variety and Deadline.

The collective demands to review within 10 days "current safety protocols and protections on this vital matter to determine whether or not we will continue to work in these high-risk environments."

The letter also asks for studios to outline their plans to provide abortion travel subsidies to employees -- and demands they cease political donations to anti-abortion candidates and political action committees.

"It is unacceptable to ask any person to choose between their human rights and their employment," the writers added. "This situation raises basic matters of equality, health, and safety in the workplace."

Advertisement

Other high-profile signatories include Mindy Kaling, Natasha Lyonne, Chelsea Handler and Amy Schumer.

"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," they wrote. "We are committed, as a group, to protecting our fundamental human rights and those of our colleagues."

Latest Headlines