Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Meta chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg were among the top technology executives who spoke publicly about Friday’s Supreme Court ruling. annul Roe v. The ruling puts an end to the constitutional right to abortion in the U.S., which has been in place since 1973.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and many politically open venture capitalists have so far remained publicly silent on the ruling.
Elon Musk’s Twitter account, which currently has 99.5 million followers, included a fixed May tweet that said, “The birth rate in the United States has been below minimum sustainable levels for about 50 years.” .
In September 2021, Musk refused to talk about strict restrictions on Texas abortion and said he preferred to stay out of politics. However, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tesla’s CEO was supporting his state’s “social policies” at the time. More recently, Musk said he would consider voting for Florida Gov. DeSantis as president. DeSantis is moving to further restrict abortions to their state today.
The early revocation of the court of Roe v. Wade leaves states the power to establish their own abortion laws, including total bans on all surgical and drug-induced abortions. According to the Guttmacher Institute’s analysis, a total of twenty-six states are expected to severely restrict, if not completely ban, abortion after sentencing.
Abortion bans in Louisiana, Missouri, Kentucky and South Dakota went into effect immediately.
When abortion is not legal or unavailable, people face health risks that can be fatal in some cases. For example, a 31-year-old dentist named Savita Halappanavar died of sepsis in 2012 in Ireland after she was denied an abortion during a miscarriage. After his death, a movement arose and Ireland amended its laws to allow legal abortion.
This is what these technology executives said after the ruling was issued on Friday:
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce
“I think CEOs have a responsibility to take care of their employees, no matter what. Salesforce moves employees when they feel threatened or experience discrimination. At our Ohana, we always make sure you have the best benefits and care, and always we will have our backs, always. [heart emoji]”
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft –
“This is a sad day. Reverting Roe v. Wade is an unfair and unacceptable setback. And it endangers the lives of women, especially the most disadvantaged.”
Jeff Lawson, CEO of Twilio –
“It’s a dark day in our nation’s history. The elimination of this basic human right disproportionately affects the most vulnerable women in the country. Both I and Twilio support the right of all women to choose.”
“Whether the issue is gun security, women’s rights or even the election of officials with the majority of votes, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the government to reflect the will of the majority. majority. We need reforms. “
“I think the very legitimacy of our government is beginning to be questioned. Between a perfectly ordered house, a senate ruled by a minority prepared for obstruction, and a Supreme Court whose moral authority is eroded by embezzled seats. “It ‘s time for reform.”
Sheryl Sandberg, Meta Director of Operations:
In a public Facebook post:
“I grew up hearing stories from my mother about what women in our country went through before Roe. My mother had a friend who left the country to have a safe abortion. Most women couldn’t. allow the luxury of doing so, some had street abortions.All women knew they could face impossible choices between controlling their future and their health and breaking the law.
“I never thought my mother’s past would become my daughters’ future. I can’t believe I will send my three daughters to college with fewer rights than I had.
“The Supreme Court ruling endangers the health and lives of millions of girls and women across the country. It threatens to undo the progress women have made in the workplace and deprive women of economic power. It will make it difficult the achievement of women.his dreams and will disproportionately affect women with fewer resources.
“This is a big setback. For ourselves, our daughters and every generation that follows, we must continue to fight. Together, we must protect and expand access to abortion.”
Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO of Yelp –
“Today’s SCOTUS ruling endangers women’s health, denies them their human rights and threatens to dismantle the progress we have made towards gender equality in the workplace since Roe. Business leaders have to speak now and ask Congress to codify Roe into law. “
Susan Wojicki, CEO of YouTube –
“As CEO, I recognize that there is a spectrum of opinions about the SCOTUS ruling today. As a woman, it’s a devastating setback. Personally, I think every woman should have a choice about how and when to be a mother. reproductive rights are human rights. “