EA has released a statement in support of the LGBTQ+ community following criticism from employees about the company’s silence on issues such as abortion rights and transgender rights.
Last week an executive at Electronic Arts shared that the company will not make a public statement defending abortion or transgender rights, claiming that “being an inclusive company means being inclusive of all points of view.”
During an internal company-wide town hall meeting on Tuesday (May 24), Kotaku has reported that “many” employees at EA repeatedly asked company leadership to make public statements to defend abortion rights and transgender rights. However, according to a transcript of the meeting, chief people officer Mala Singh told employees that EA will only make public statements that “actually have a positive impact.”
Earlier this month several major studios – including Double Fine and Bungie – made statements opposing the U.S. Supreme Court’s internal decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
But now Singh has released another statement explaining that she “never intended to imply that we were stepping back from our long-standing support of LGBTQ+ rights, but I understand that’s how it landed for members of this community. I am grateful for the openness and courage to engage, and I am also hopeful that we can keep our conversations productive and healthy. They make us better.”
We stand united 🤝 🤍
Click the link to learn more. 🔗 : https://t.co/BClpsUj2vJ pic.twitter.com/ZwQ7K64021
— Electronic Arts (@EA) June 3, 2022
Singh went on to “acknowledge the pain and fear that our LGBTQ+, specifically our Transgender community, is experiencing in light of emerging legislation in the US and the ongoing attacks on their human rights.
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“We will continue to strive for a safe and supportive workplace, and as a leadership team, we want to be clear about what we stand for,” the statement continued. “As a company, we are united that Trans Rights are Human Rights. Women’s Rights are Human Rights. Our support is unwavering for our people, our players, and our LGBTQ+ communities.”
According to Singh, EA will “continue to focus and direct our collective energy in the areas of promoting equality through the stories and characters in our games, in creating a safe and inclusive workplace at EA, and in ensuring health care access if care isn’t available locally.”
In other news, Itch.io has brought back the Queer Games Bundle with over 500 items, after the success of the company’s 2021 bundle raised over £89,000 to support queer games developers.