Bungie reiterates support for reproductive rights as US Supreme Court overturns Roe v Wade

Bungie and a number of PlayStation studios, including Insoniac and Sucker Punch, have spoken out in support of reproductive rights following today’s decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn key legislation granting individuals the constitutional right to choose an abortion – a move that gives US states the power to either severely restrict or ban the practice.

Bungie was one of the first studios to make a statement in May after the US Supreme Court’s plans to overthrow Roe v Wade were leaked to the press, calling the move a “direct attack on human rights”. Adding to that sentiment in a new statement shared today, it said, “Standing up for reproductive choice and liberty is not a difficult decision to make, and Bungie remains dedicated to upholding these values.”

“Last month, we stated without reservation that all of us deserve to choose our own path and access the healthcare we need,” the developer continued. “The decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v Wade cuts off millions of Americans from that access and leaves open the possibility of even further restrictions on life-saving healthcare for all of us.”

Bungie also reiterated its commitment to “ensuring that everyone of our employees and their families have safe and affordable access to essential healthcare needs”, and noted that, as it continues to expand it digital-first workplace to more states, it “will now be implementing a travel reimbursement program for any employee to use when they or a dependent cannot get access to the healthcare they need where they live”.

“We remain undeterred in our commitment to stand up for reproductive choice and liberty,” the developer concluded.

Alongside Bungie, a number of key PlayStation studios have released statements in reponse to today’s Supreme Court ruling. Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank developer Insomniac Games wrote, “We are human beings who make games. Reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy are human rights.” Dreams developer Media Molecule and Ghost of Tsushima studio Sucker Punch shared similar messages on their own Twitter accounts, saying “Reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy are human rights.”

Public support from these developers is particularly notable in that a Washington Post report last month claimed Sony was refusing to approve any statements its PlayStation studios might want to make on the topic of reproductive rights. Insomniac head Ted Price was said to have told staff he believed “there would be material repercussions” if the studio chose to go against Sony’s wishes. In response to that report, Bungie – whose acquisition by Sony was announced in February – said “there will never be a ‘muzzle’ big enough to stop us from standing up for what’s right”. It would appear Sony may have chosen to reverse its alleged policy since then.

Concluding its latest statement, Bungie shared a list of organisations that support rights to healthcare, for those wishing to donate:

Go To Source

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*


16 − two =