As the U.S. moves precariously into another wave of social unrest and conflict across several fronts, many in the toy industry have been conspicuously quiet. In recent days, following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, a number of companies in other industries spanning retail, entertainment, and beyond, have been vocal on where they stand. Now, Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun! has issued a statement weighing in on the state of affairs in the U.S. and in his home state of Florida.
Foreman is pledging support for his employees’ reproductive rights, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and making a commitment to providing a safe workplace. His statement can be read, in full, below.
Basic Fun! is committed to supporting choice and access to reproductive rights for our employees and their families, as well as always provide an office environment free from guns. Being based in a great state like Florida is a wonderful thing for our business and our employees who work here; however, there is a dark and growing cloud overhead blocking the sunlight that consists of rhetoric, legislation, and legal rulings that make doing business in Florida more challenging and frankly less safe for our employees. This includes the recent national rulings and local legislation on gun control and reproductive rights.
We intend to do all we can to ensure that our employees can receive the reproductive education, support, and care they need, regardless of their location around the country — and particularly, in our home state of Florida. Whether through our insurance program or directly from the company, our employees will be reimbursed for travel and care expenses, as well as be afforded leave to handle this personal and sensitive matter, as needed.
We are also affirming our ban on deadly weapons in our workplace and noting that we always stand firmly with our LGBTQ+ team members and their families to help protect their rights and assure the gains that have been made are not similarly rolled back over time. Florida is a great state to live, work and own a business in, and we’re committed to do what we can to keep it that way – despite many of those in power who are working in the opposite direction. I remind our employees and friends that if you don’t like the rules, you need to vote for change!
— Jay Foreman, CEO, Basic Fun!
Additionally, Super7 founder Brian Flynn issued a statement regarding the Roe v. Wade reversal via Instagram last Friday.
While many may choose to stay silent to avoid potential controversy, the toy industry is filled with vocal individuals who will no doubt continue weighing in on the bigger issues at play in the months ahead. Stay tuned…
