The Wire creator David Simon defends decision to pull new series from Texas following abortion ban

Screenwriter said it would not be ‘ethical’ to ask female employees to ‘forgo their civil liberties’ by working in the state

David Simon, the creator of The Wire, has defended his decision not to film his new HBO series in Texas because of the state’s abortion ban.

The restrictive abortion law, passed in Texas earlier this month, bans the procedure after six weeks and allows citizens to sue doctors and others who help people access procedures.

Earlier this week, Simon said that he would not put female cast and crew members at risk by shooting his latest unnamed project in Texas, stating that the issue was “beyond politics”.

While many praised Simon for his decision, he has also received a considerable backlash on Twitter, with critics arguing that refusing to film in Texas will negatively impact working professionals in the state and disenfranchise those who live there.

“My singular responsibility is to securing and maintaining the civil liberties of all those we employ during the course of a production,” tweeted Simon.

One critic wrote: “People like David Simon want to boycott Texas because of civil liberties. I get that, but in reality there are women who work in film in TX. Taking away our $ helps nothing. If someone gets pregnant AND is out of work, how does that help? Double f***ed.”

To which Simon responded: “Dead wrong. I am mute on any boycott. I am instead an employer and I personally must decide if it is ethical to ask employees to enter a jurisdiction which requires them to forgo THEIR civil liberties. It is not ethical for me to do so. Texas requires this forced move. Not me.”