Talk of Hollywood productions and actors boycotting Georgia has escalated in recent weeks following Gov. Brian Kemp’s signing of a controversial “heartbeat bill” that, if passed into law, would make abortion illegal after six weeks.
Several major film and TV production companies, which includes Netflix, Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, AMC Networks, and WarnerMedia, have threatened to ditch making stuff in Georgia or have issued out statements saying that they’re “reevaluating” their investment in the state.
So in short, basically every company and studio who makes your favourite TV shows and movies could potentially bail on Georgia.
And one for all.
While this banding together by Hollywood in protest of Georgia’s “heartbeat bill” is admirable since it is an abhorrent thing to pass into law, there’s a worry that the boycott could end up hurting the wrong people.
Buzzfeed News reports that several people who work in the industry are worried about the collateral damage this boycott could bring as many people could lose their jobs. It’s a valid argument as the television and film industry is a huge thing in Georgia.
Several big-budget audience pleasers like most Marvel films, The Walking Dead, and Stranger Things are made in the state. In 2017 alone, it had an economic impact of over $9 billion and kept over 92,000 people employed across various disciplines.
If Hollywood bails, Georgia’s unemployment rate is going to skyrocket and there’s going to be many thousands of unhappy people out of a job.
Georgia is finding itself between a rock and a hard place right now. On one hand, if it takes Hollywood to boycott the state in order for the “heartbeat bill” to be scuttled then so be it because it is just an affront to women. But on the other hand, many innocent people will be caught in the crossfire and come off as the loser of a fight they had no involvement in.
It remains to be seen what will result of this high stakes stalemate in Georgia but it’s pretty damn clear that the best resolution to this stupid conflict is to set fire to the “heartbeat bill” and move on.
And because it seems like all the white old men in Georgia making these dumb laws need reminders stuffed down their throats every five minutes, let’s all just remember one very important thing…