Match Group CEO creates fund for Texas employees seeking out-of-state abortion care

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Shar Dubey, CEO of Match Group, based in Dallas, is setting up a fund to help employees and their loved ones find an abortion in other states after a near-total abortion ban went into effect in Texas this week.

Match’s chief executive briefed the fund’s staff in an email received by The Dallas Morning News.

“The company generally does not take political positions unless it is relevant to our business. But in this case, personally, as a woman in Texas, I couldn’t be silent, ”Dubey wrote, informing staff about a statement she had made to the news media about the new legislation.

“I generally appreciate the different arguments on this very complicated topic and respect the personal experiences and beliefs that shape the different opinions. But this particular law is so retrograde on women’s rights that I felt compelled to speak publicly about my personal views, ”Dubey wrote.

In the letter, Dubey also announced that he would set up a fund to benefit the company’s Texas-based employees or their loved ones who “are affected by this legislation and need to seek help outside of Texas.”

Match Group owns a number of very popular dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, and PlentyOfFish, as well as dating apps like BLK for black singles and Chispa for Latinos. The company has nearly 400 employees in Texas.

SB 8, which went into effect this week, makes abortions illegal after six weeks of gestation and empowers individuals to bring lawsuits against anyone who assists a person seeking an abortion. Critics of the bill said most women would not know they were pregnant after six weeks, and abortion law advocates warn that it would make 85% of abortions performed in the state illegal.

In a CNBC appearance Tuesday morning, Governor Greg Abbott defended the state’s stance on abortion, arguing that it would “accelerate” the trend of corporate relocation to Texas.

However, the state can expect more business leaders to support workers affected by the restrictive abortion law in the coming weeks, said Professor Alesha Doan of the University of Kansas.

“Before abortion was legalized in 1973, there were organizations that set up networks to help women get information about abortion, find out how to have an abortion, find out where to get a safe abortion,” said Doan, who has researched and written articles and books on abortion policy, abortion law, and tactics used by anti-abortion activists.

“Reading Shar’s statement immediately reminded me – that these organizations and networks existed before abortion was legalized, and in that context they will continue to grow and grow.”

Austin-based dating app Bumble also announced that it has set up a similar fund to help employees requesting an abortion.

“Bumble is founded and run by women, and from day one we’ve stood up for the most vulnerable. We will continue to fight against regressive laws like # SB8, “the company said in a tweet.

Shar Dubey has been the CEO of Match Group since March 1, 2020.(Playgroup)

This is the full letter from Match CEO Shar Dubey to the staff:

All

Today –SB8 went into effect in Texas. This law effectively prohibits abortions after 6 weeks, even in the case of rape and incest, and allows an individual, doctor, or private individual to sue who helps a woman obtain an abortion.

Since we are a Texas based company, we have been asked for a comment by the media. As I said earlier, the company does not generally take political positions unless it is relevant to our business. But in this case, personally as a woman in Texas, I could not remain silent and made this statement that you may see covered in the next few days.

I don’t talk about that as the CEO of a company. I speak of this personally, as a mother and wife who is fervently committed to women’s rights, including the very basic right to choose their bodies – this is a very sad day. I immigrated to America from India over 25 years ago and I must say, as a Texas resident, I am shocked that I now live in a state where reproductive laws for women are more regressive than most other countries in the world, including India. Surely everyone should see the danger of this highly punitive and unfair law, which does not make an exception even for victims of rape or incest. I would hate it if our state took this big step back into women’s rights.

I generally appreciate the various arguments on this very complicated topic and respect the personal experiences and beliefs that influence the different opinions. But this particular law is so retrograde on women’s rights that I felt compelled to speak publicly about my personal views.

I would also like to inform you that I am establishing a fund to ensure that if any of our Texas-based employees or dependent family members are affected by this legislation and need care outside of Texas, the fund will contribute to that additional costs to cover costs incurred. More details will follow. And as always, it’s important to remember that at Match Group, we conduct these difficult conversations with empathy and respect.

Shar

CORRECTION, 1:00 p.m., September 2, 2021: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the fund was set up by the Match Group. The company said the fund will be launched personally by CEO Shar Dubey.

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