Apple today declared its support for the Equality Act of 2015, introduced by members of congress this afternoon. The Equality Act would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the legislation that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin.
In a statement to the Human Rights Campaign, Apple echoed sentiments on equality that it has shared several times before:
At Apple we believe in equal treatment for everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love. We fully support the expansion of legal protections as a matter of basic human dignity.
The Equality Act will ensure full federal equality for all LGBT Americans, including those who live in the 31 states that do not currently have non-discrimination legislation, protecting LBGT citizens from discrimination when seeking jobs, housing, public accommodations, education, and more.
During Apple CEO Tim Cook's tenure, Apple has taken a strong position on inclusion and equality. Earlier this year, Apple joined 378 other companies urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of marriage equality, and the company has participated in the San Francisco Pride Parade for several years running.
Cook himself has made several impassioned speeches on non-discrimination and equality and has publicly opposed harmful religious freedom legislation. Last fall, Cook became the first Fortune 500 CEO to publicly come out as gay, an announcement he made in an effort to "bring comfort to anyone who feels alone" and to "inspire people to insist on their equality."
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