Shar Dubey: Match Group CEO to fund people affected by Texas abortion law
The CEO of the Match Group, which owns Tinder, is creating a special fund to help people that are affected by Texas' new abortion ban. Now, newsreaders want to know more about the woman CEO and her views on Texas abortion laws.
The chief executive of Tinder-owner Match Group, Shar Dubey has sharply criticized the new law prohibiting most abortions in Texas and says she is setting up a fund to help any Texas-based employees who need to seek an abortion outside the state. She spoke out against the law in a memo to employees Thursday, September 2. “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,” Dubey said in the memo. Dubey added that her fund would help cover any additional costs incurred by Match Group employees if they need to travel outside the state to seek an abortion.
READ MORE
Her statement came after Austin-based Bumble, which is led by CEO Whitney Wolfe, spoke out against the law on social media. “Bumble is women-founded and women-led, and from day one we’ve stood up for the most vulnerable. We’ll keep fighting against regressive laws like #SB8,” Bumble said in a statement. The Texas law, which took effect Tuesday after the Supreme Court denied an emergency appeal from abortion providers, bans abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and often before women know they’re pregnant. Rather than be enforced by government authorities, the law gives citizens the right to file civil suits and collect damages against anyone aiding an abortion. It does not make exceptions for rape or incest.
Who is Shar Dubey?
Born in 1971, Sharmistha Dubey is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Match Group, which owns and operates online dating products including Tinder, Match, Meetic, OkCupid, Hinge, Pairs, PlentyOfFish and OurTime. Dubey joined Match Group in 2006 and also serves as the Board of Directors of Match Group and Fortive Corporation. Dubey grew up in Jamshedpur and holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 1993 and subsequently obtained an MS from Ohio State University. She is married to Partha Raghunathan and has one daughter.
Dubey came to light when on September 1, 2021, Texas legislative act SB8 went into effect after the Supreme Court of the United States denied a motion to block enforcement in a 5-4 vote. Dubey stated that she would be building a fund to assist Texas-based employees and their dependents who were impacted by the legislation stating that "I personally, as a woman in Texas, could not keep silent." She indicated that the fund would cover expenses who those who needed to seek care outside of Texas.