Match Group has about 400 employees in Texas. The company is based in Dallas and operates all your favorite hookup apps, including Tinder, Hinge, PlentyOfFish, BLK, and Chispa. Last night, the company’s CEO, Shar Dubey, sent a note to the company saying that she personally will start a fund to support employees who are forced to seek abortions outside the state as a result of SB 8, which went into effect yesterday. Dubey, an immigrant from India, wrote, “[A]s a Texas resident, I am shocked that I now live in a state where women’s reproductive laws are more regressive than most of the world, including India.”
Here’s the full email:
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Today SB8 went into effect in Texas. This law effectively prohibits abortion after 6 weeks, even in cases of rape and incest, and allows individuals to sue doctors or any private citizen who helps a woman obtain an abortion.
Since we are a Texas based company, we were asked by the media to comment. As I have said before, the company generally does not take political stands unless it is relevant to our business. But in this instance, I personally, as a woman in Texas, could not keep silent and have made this statement that you might see covered over the next few days.
I’m not speaking about this as the CEO of a company. I’m speaking about this personally, as a mother and a woman who has fervently cared about women’s rights, including the very fundamental right of choice over her body — this is a very sad day. I immigrated to America from India over 25 years ago and I have to say, as a Texas resident, I am shocked that I now live in a state where women’s reproductive laws are more regressive than most of the world, including India. Surely everyone should see the danger of this highly punitive and unfair law that doesn’t even make an exception for victims of rape or incest. I would hate for our state to take this big step back in women’s rights.
I am generally appreciative of the different arguments of this very complicated issue and am respectful of the personal experiences and beliefs that inform the different opinions. But this particular law is so regressive to the cause of women’s rights that I felt compelled to speak publicly about my personal views.
I also wanted to let you know that I am setting up a fund to ensure that if any of our Texas-based employees or a dependent find themselves impacted by this legislation and need to seek care outside of Texas, the fund will help cover the additional costs incurred.
More details will follow. And as always, it is important to remember that at Match Group, we have these difficult conversations with empathy and respect.
-Shar
