Apple: No On Prop 8

Source: Apple.com

No on Prop 8

October 24, 2008
Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

Read more: http://www.apple.com/hotnews

Their target audience is the younger, hipper crowd -- a crowd which cares much less about their neighbor's sexual orientations than do older, more conservative consumers who aren't buying many Apple products anyway. So it's not only morally justified, but economically justified as well. Or at least that's my theory...

http://www.transgenderlaw.org/employer/apple.htm
Apple Supports Gender Identity and Expression

OCT. 1998--Apple Computer has joined the ranks of other progressive companies by adding employment protection to their equal opportunity statement. This policy was three years in the coming; Apple Lambda started working for it in Sept, 1995.

Aside from the obvious moral correctness in Apple's pro-GLBT position, it just makes good business sense. Why would you turn away a good employee (or discourage a good employee from even applying) because of their choice in mates? Wouldn't you want the best person for the job? And aren't happier employees more productive employees? And in a pure fiduciary sense: gay employees w/ partners are probably not going to call in sick to take care of their kids, probably not going to need to have a litter of offspring covered under the company's rising insurance rates, are probably not going to pay for a spouse's pregnancy, birth control, infertility, etc., and probably have more time to be productive.

That's what's so crazy about this latest Republican meme: that marriage helps drive the economy, so we shouldn't let gay people get married. The more married couples there are, the more houses sold, the more money put into savings and retirement, the more cars sold, the more small businesses opened -- and that stuff'll happen regardless of what our neighbor's genitalia are. It's just plain dumb.

The Yes on 8 types have deep pockets and tightly networked religious conservative groups behind them and have benefited from this for a while now. Kudos to Apple, however.

:bounce:

Get the word out to the youth...like me.

http://digg.com/politics/Apple_publicly_opposes_Proposition_8?OTC-kff

if Prop 8 passes, there is a rela concern about a brain-drain among skilled, highly paid workers in high tech industries, as they move to other states where their relationships are legally recognized

There is some self interest mixed with Apple's politics here.

This just made me go on the Apple web site to start pricing laptops. Was thinking of getting a cheaper windows pc but now they are getting my money. :toast: :toast:

We had a company communications meeting, and Steve Jobs was very forceful and direct with his comments on this issue. The words about this not being a political issue, but a civil rights issue were his. Apple has such an amazing diversity in the make-up of its employees. We periodically have diversity celebrations with the various company organizations coming together to sponsor events on campus.

It's great to work for a company that WILL consistently do the right thing, and take stands on important issues such as this. Steve's announcement garnered a standing ovation around campus.

I'm not at all surprised.

:-)

I'm quite proud to say the least.