Soon, it might fall to individual states to decide the legality of abortion within their borders. Some companies are already preparing contingencies for their employees in case they need access to an abortion and can’t legally get one in their state.
Yelp and other companies are offering to cover the costs of travel for employees seeking abortions.
The issue of states restricting women’s ability to get abortions has been ongoing since states like Texas and Oklahoma have had success implementing bills that circumnavigate Roe v. Wade’s protection. RELATED: If Roe V. Wade Is Overturned, Abortion Access Will Not Be The Only Human Right At Risk States have been able to do everything from creating extremely narrow windows in which women would be allowed to get abortions to implementing ‘vigilante’ laws, permitting private citizens to sue those involved with getting abortions.
Yelp has said that this is necessary in order to provide equal access to care for its employees.
Yelp’s Chief Diversity Officer said of the company’s decision, “I think it really comes down to equal access to care. In order to safeguard employees and make sure that they can get the healthcare that they need, no matter what state they live in, we need a benefit like this.”
There is a lot of support for Yelp’s decision online.
Some social media users have taken to their platforms to applaud the decision made by Yelp and other companies, as well as take aim at the politicians who have made it their mission to restrict women’s bodily autonomy. RELATED: What It’s Like To Have An Abortion One Month After Turning 13 Every day, private companies are brought further and further into politics and they are each being forced to balance the opinions, of the public, politicians, and the all important stakeholder. — flexghost. (@flexghost1) May 5, 2022 Recently, Governor Ron Desantis stripped Disney’s self-governing authority for its opposition to an anti-LGBTQ bill. There are already rumors that states will enact laws to prevent companies like Yelp from financing its employees’ bodily autonomy. RELATED: How Pro-Life Abortion Therapy Messed With Me (But Killed My Shame) Dan O’Reilly is a writer who covers news, politics, and social justice. Follow him on Twitter.