Corporations Are An Unexpected Ally In Making Abortion Accessible. They're Also A Part Of The Problem.

'Large corporations are not your allies in the advancement of civil rights.' - Lee Hepner, American Economic Liberties Project

healthcare-costs-600×450Big businesses have been making a big wave in the wake of Dobbs. Be it because of ethical responsibility or the hope that it will poll well with consumers, businesses like Dick’s and Walt Disney have made it known to their employees and potential customers that they intend to staunchly defend the right to choose. And times are rough — the need for defense can make for strange bedfellows. But as well received the assistance is, it is also important to remember that charity can be a problem.

Case in point: Facebook. On the one hand, the platform has been a godsend when it comes to spreading information about political goings on, allowing healthcare providers to make getting access to care easier, what have you. But it’s not all been as good willing as it can seem.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s reactionary majority struck down Roe v. Wade last Friday, Facebook and Instagram have been swiftly removing posts informing people that they can obtain federally approved abortion pills through the mail while ignoring posts offering to mail guns.

An Associated Press reporter’s Facebook post that said, “If you send me your address, I will mail you abortion pills,” was removed within one minute on Monday, according to the news outlet.

However, when the reporter “made the same exact post but swapped out the words ‘abortion pills’ for ‘a gun,’ the post remained untouched,” AP reported Tuesday. “A post with the same exact offer to mail ‘weed’ was also left up and not considered a violation.”

This policy tracks, considering that Meta employees are not allowed to talk about abortion at work, either. The reason the company gave is to prevent work place hostility. That said, there are also contexts where not allowing speech, even neutral speech, is per se hostile.

However, a test conducted Friday by Motherboard shows that Facebook is removing posts and sometimes temporarily banning users for simply pointing out that abortion pills are available via mail—not just those offering to send them.

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While Facebook and Dick’s are the front-facing parties, the problem of corporate benevolence and censorship goes beyond them. Like, take a second. I really want you to think this through. I want you to put down anything you have in your hands. If you’re reading bits and pieces of this while you’re doing something else, I just need a couple seconds of your undivided attention. Take some deep breaths. Inhale. Picture a boss you’ve had. Doesn’t even have to be a mean boss, just a boss. They could even be well meaning. Exhale. Close your eyes for a few seconds, then re-open them. Really find your center. Think about a one night stand, a breakup, an easily avoidable work snafu, or just the banal frustration of standing in line at the DMV.

Now imagine you’re an entry-level 20-something swallowing nervousness because this is the second time within a year that you’ve had to ask your boss for a permission slip to get an out-of-state abortion. No employee should have to wonder if the dip in their  job evaluation scores is casually connected to their healthcare or a prude supervisor preaching about how they should have kept their legs closed. I initially wrote that tongue in cheek, but given Bremerton, the worry that some local Dick’s wont respect the company policy of assisting with abortion costs because the supervisor thinks it interferes with their faith is all but guaranteed. You know the Six Christians of The United States are going to let them eat cake on this one.

Think about Stacy. You know Stacy. That coworker whose been here for ages who caught a liking to spreading rumors after General Hospital stopped doing it for her. You know that despite how secretive you and your boss were about the interaction, she’s gonna start whispering baby as soon as you leave the office. Or maybe you notify your superior via email and evade that worry, until the thought of your boss accidentally replying-all to your request for a medical vacation and notifying each of your co-workers about your condom mishap skips cross your mind.

Beware grafting your civil liberties on to corporations. Philanthrocapitalism carries its own concerns. There are bull markets and bear markets. Trust that your freedoms will rise and fall with the tide — and God save you when the bubble bursts.

You Shouldn’t Have To Ask Your Boss For An Abortion [Vox]

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Facebook Removing Posts About Mailing Abortion Pills—But Not Guns [Common Dreams]


Chris Williams became a social media manager and assistant editor for Above the Law in June 2021. Prior to joining the staff, he moonlighted as a minor Memelord™ in the Facebook group Law School Memes for Edgy T14s.  He endured Missouri long enough to graduate from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He is a former boatbuilder who cannot swim, a published author on critical race theory, philosophy, and humor, and has a love for cycling that occasionally annoys his peers. You can reach him by email at cwilliams@abovethelaw.com and by tweet at @WritesForRent.