On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, which has guaranteed the legal right to abortion nationwide since 1973. The practical effect of this decision is that abortion will be banned in 9 states within 30 days, with at least 12 more likely to follow. Increased legal restrictions are likely to severely impact clinics and organizations specializing in reproductive health, making it more difficult to access life-saving care, with people of color and other marginalized groups being disproportionately affected.
Game studios including Bungie, Insomniac, and Innersloth have responded to the decision by affirming their support for reproductive rights while posting links to charity and advocacy organizations. Disney, Netflix, and other studios have promised to provide access to abortion care for employees, including expanded travel benefits to cover employees who may now need to cross state lines to obtain essential care.
On June 24, IGN released the following statement.
IGN is committed to being inclusive and supporting equality. We believe our employees have the right to make personal decisions about their physical and mental well-being. With employees in multiple states, we believe that all of our employees are entitled to universal access to health care and services, regardless of where one chooses to live.
How to Help: Charitable Organizations
A number of reproductive health and advocacy groups are currently accepting donations and support for their efforts to help guarantee access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion. We encourage you to consider the resources below, which offer ways to help organizations advocating for access to reproductive care and support.
National Network of Abortion Funds
National Network of Abortion Funds provides support for those seeking abortion on every level, from national to regional. In addition to monetary support, they offer “practical support” which is defined as “transportation, lodging, childcare, translation” and other services. You can read more about their services here. Donations could mean a huge amount to these smaller, grassroots organizations – you can see a list of funds by region here. Note that National Network of Abortion Funds was experiencing site outages and are also accepting direct donations at this link.
Center for Reproductive Rights
The Center for Reproductive Rights touts itself as “the only global legal advocacy organization dedicated to reproductive rights.” Its focus is backing effective reproductive health law in both the US and abroad.
Repro Legal Defense Fund via If/When/How
This fund, set up by advocacy group If/When/How, covers bail costs and pays for legal defenses for those investigated, arrested, or prosecuted for self-managing an abortion. The fund also offers free, confidential help from legal experts.
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood provides a network of over 600 clinics that provide reproductive health and give access to abortion across the country. Here’s a list of services Planned Parenthood provides, and a list of clinics you can search here.
Other Resources
Below are resources for those looking for assistance with reproductive health. We will add any relevant resources that we discover.
National Abortion Federation Hotline – 1-800-772-9100
The National Abortion Federation’s National Hotline ”operates the largest national, toll-free, multi-lingual Hotline for abortion referrals and financial assistance in the U.S.” You can also donate to the fund here.
Interactive Map of Abortion Policies and Access
The Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice policy organization, has put together an interactive map of the US that provides a readable rundown of abortion policies and statistics for each state.
IGN has been diligently practicing ways in which we can share cultural celebrations and promote inclusivity, as well as drive support toward humanitarian causes through our How to Help articles. The IGN editorial team is committed to using our platform for good to aid the innocent voices who need it the most. We of course encourage our readers to support the causes and associated organizations that most resonate with them, and encourage you to donate if you have the means to.