Hundreds of different companies and organizations including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Disney have signed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court advocating for a repeal of laws that block same-sex couples from marrying. Outlined in the brief is the very real concern that statewide bans on gay unions have a chilling effect on local businesses.
Out Leadership is an LGBT is an advocacy firm working to promoting the LGBT presence within different industries including law, insurance, and finance. OPEN Finance, a New York-based financial coalition, fights for workplace equality through impactful policy changes. Of the 379 companies that signed the brief 33 are members of Out Leadership, OPEN Finance, or both organizations. Obergefell v. Hodges, they affirm, could represent a critical step in the right direction towards a more egalitarian society with very tangible economic impacts.
“History is about to be made, and this is possibly the last chance firms will have to express themselves before the Supreme Court rules on whether Americans have a civil right to marriage equality,” Todd Sears, Founder and Principal of Out Leadership explained in an exclusive to Towleroad. “ Markets are rational. The irrationality of discrimination has never sat well for Wall Street. We’re not surprised to see Out Leadership firms leading the way on this issue of fundamental equality in our country.”
In essence, the brief explains, bans on gay marriage create a multitude of logistical and economic hurdles that hurt the business interests of companies looking to do large-scale work in various states. More than just denying gay couples their civil rights to marriage, these bans can have detrimental impacts on local economies.
"Our campaign leveraged OPEN Finance’s deep connections across Wall Street [and those] leaders sent a powerful message to their firms’ senior management: we need you to take action,” “Ultimately, the result is increased loyalty to our employers, and a great sense of pride for what our leaders have done to support LGBT equality."
Read the full brief and see which companies joined in the fight for LGBT equality, AFTER THE JUMP…
