Apple, along with 205 other firms, called on the Supreme Court to recognize LGBT rights. Other tech signatories to the petition included Google and Cisco.
Commitment to LGBT Equality
The document noted that the signatories employ over 7 million people. They generate more than $5 trillion in revenue, they added. The brief said that they are committed “to creating workplaces that afford lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT”) employees the opportunity to earn a living, excel in their professions, and provide for their families free from fear of unequal treatment.” They said that doing so is good for the businesses and the economy at large.
Nationwide Consistency Needed
The firms made their case as the Supreme Court prepares to hear three cases on LGBT rights in its next session (via Axios). Apart from Apple, Other firms involved included Dropbox and Uber.
They argued that “laws forbidding sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination are not unreasonably costly or burdensome for business” in their brief. They added that “businesses and their employees all benefit from the consistency and predictability that uniform federal law provides nationwide.”
Todd Sears, the CEO of Out Leadership commented:
We’re thrilled to see so many of our nation’s most innovative and profitable businesses coming together to say that LGBT+ Americans are, and should continue to be, protected from discrimination.
Apple has, of course, long advocated for the rights of LGBT people. Tim Cook, one of the few openly gay CEOs, has repeatedly called out anti-LGBT discrimination. The courage of those celebrating pride month is “contagious and inspiring,” he said recently.