Striking Hollywood Writers Rally for Abortion Rights at Amazon's HQ

Abortion rights came into sharp focus during a rally for striking film and television writers in New York City on Tuesday. The event, held outside Amazon's headquarters on the first day of the company's "Prime Day" summer sale, brought together writers, actors, and supporters to discuss both labor and reproductive rights. Speeches emphasized that film and TV workers operating in anti-abortion states are currently less protected from pregnancy-related health emergencies post-Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Furthermore, attendees drew attention to corporations like Amazon the potential to forward the protection of women’s reproductive freedom and medical care. Speakers assert that the location of a film or TV production now heavily influences the healthcare rights accessible to cast and crew. Maya Rupert of the Center for Reproductive Rights said, “And no one should have to make a choice between taking a job and having access to the health care that they need.”

Actor and writer Zoe Kazan shared personal accounts of two dangerous pregnancies, articulating the potential complications that can arise for women working in restrictive states, calling attention to the life-saving necessity of reproductive healthcare. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has, since August, begun covering travel expenses for members needing abortions in states where it is legal. However, Kazan noted the hurdles when immediate surgery is necessary and challenging to access.

In May 2022, Amazon notified its employee that it would provide up to $4000 annually in travel expenses for medical treatments, including abortions. However, the company came under criticism from speakers for not adequately reacting to a coalition of showrunners and directors who last year demanded studios assist women working in the film and television industry in states with severe abortion restrictions or outright bans.

Notably, Melissa London Hilfers, creator of Monarch, slammed Amazon for not responding at all. The rally spotlighted films and theatrical projects focusing on abortion, with Planned Parenthood's Caren Spruch calling on writers to continue producing content discussing abortion restrictions.

As the cameras give way to the keyboard, it's hard to not appreciate the heavy irony - an entertainment rally outside an entertainment giant's headquarters. In what could easily pass as a plot twist in a Hulu original, Hollywood finds itself wrestling with issues more significant than the newest streaming sensation or the latest re-run of some classic series.

Like the final scene of a movie, we also got a callback. Our 'M. Night Shyamalan' twist came from Gillian Robespierre, with her pitch-perfect punchline, "The abortion pill could be the next deal on Amazon Prime Day." I mean, who needs high-budget thrillers when you have this level of drama outside Amazon's front door?

Let's play with the synergy, shall we? Yes, this rally at worst sounds like the fodder for a new Handmaid's Tale subplot, but it will be doing great disservice to the issues raised and the voices representing them. Taking away the Hollywood-esque framing, what we get is a firm stand on an issue that desperately needs a spotlight.

The portraits painted at the rally: a Hollywood far from the dream factory where health care determinations are as decisive as the flick of a studio light switch: are powerful and moving. But more than that, this moment is a somber reminder that movies do more than entertain. They reflect, refract, and influence our society.

Perhaps Robespierre's pitch isn't so fanciful after all. It's a title card worth considering as Hollywood grapples with its role in documenting and shaping societal change. The credits are not rolling on this issue anytime soon. If anything, we might be in for a sequel or two. And wouldn't that be something? After all, Hollywood thrives on a good sequel.