Op-Ed: Roe v. Wade reversal hurts game developers
Trigger warning: Pregnancy-related medical issues and sexual assault
The Supreme Court of the United States' decision to reverse Roe v. Wade (the landmark 1973 Supreme Court Case that guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion) comes as no surprise to those following the court since Justice Antonin Scalia's death in 2016. It is understandable that others might be shocked. Not only has Roe v. Wade been considered "settled law" for half a century, but the Justices appointed to the court from 2017 through 2021 all told Congress that they agreed with that status quo.
The court ruling is reversed, and abortion will be illegal in 13 states in the next 30 days. Nine other states are likely to follow. As part of today's decision, Justices Clarence Thomas also indicated a willingness to reverse the Supreme Court rulings that fully legalized homosexuality, access to contraceptives, and same-sex marriage.
The health and safety of game developers and other workers in the game industry are now severely at risk.
That risk has been apparent ever since Texas passed its law outlawing abortion by attempting to circumvent the legal precedent set by Roe v. Wade. After that law passed (and the courts refused to strike it down), game developers in Texas, or considering jobs in Texas, began to realize that the law could directly affect their livelihood.
As we noted at the time, Texas is a major hub for the United States video game industry. As of late 2021, an estimated 270 game companies employ over 20,000 workers in the state. Should any of those employees require an abortion, they will be required to travel across state lines to obtain it.
Luckily, the video game industry appears to have been preparing for that possibility. Companies like
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