Apple CEO Tim Cook will speak at the second annual LOVELOUD festival at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City this Saturday. He will then introduce the band Imagine Dragons for a live performance on stage.
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LOVELOUD was founded in 2017 by Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, to "help ignite the relevant and vital conversation of what it means to unconditionally love, understand, accept, and support LGBTQ+ youth in an effort to keep families together," according to the foundation's website.
"Tim Cook joining us in Utah for LOVELOUD sends a clear message to LGBTQ youth that they have unlimited potential to achieve their dreams," said Reynolds. "Tim is an unwavering advocate for human rights and equality, and we're thrilled he'll be joining our powerful line-up of speakers and performers."
Other guest speakers will include actor Alfonso Ribeiro, dancer Julianne Hough, Ellen Show star Kalen Allen, Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara, Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, musician WRABEL, singer Mary Lambert, comic Dana Goldberg, singer-songwriters VINCINT & Parson James, and more.
Other performers will include Zedd, Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, Grace Vanderwaal, and Neon Trees' Tyler Glenn. Nationally touring stand-up comedian Cameron Esposito will also perform and emcee the day's festivities.
LOVELOUD tickets are available for purchase online, while AT&T will be live streaming the entire event on Twitter. The non-profit LOVELOUD Foundation says proceeds from this year's event will be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations, including Encircle, the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and the Trevor Project.
The festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 28, with doors open at 2 p.m. local time, and music beginning at 3:30 p.m. local time.
Apple as a company has shown its support for the LGBTQ community over the years by participating in Pride parades around the world, introducing Pride-themed Apple Watch bands, and supporting LGBTQ rights and laws.
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Top Rated Comments
(View all)I'm gay, so I can make a joke out of it, right?
Yes I know, I should be all on board with this shouldn't I.
The reality is I have seen the direction these social justice movements are going in. These organisations have now gone past the role of stopping discrimination and actually forcing people to have views they don't agree with and do things that don't add up logically. Oh, and why are companies jumping on board? Oh that's right – because it's good for their brand and marketing. Just a whole load of deceiving crap. And I say all of this as someone who has faced real "homophobia" - I have been taumented, harassed and excluded just because I find the same sex attractive, despite doing nothing to deserve that treatment. However, I still believe and still maintain the position that it is OK to disagree with being gay. The only thing that is not OK is to hurt people because of it.
I obviously believe it's completely natural to be gay just like it is to be straight, but I don't have the right to force others to agree with me and quite frankly it actually encourages discrimination by doing so. As long as someone doesn't hurt me, I don't care what their point of view is. We should allow people to come to their own conclusions. Opinions change over time, and sometimes that just requires you to see for yourself that most gay/bisexual men and women are actually just as normal as straight men and women and quite frankly, just as picky about who they like as straight men and women. You know, forcing people to have a particular view is not the right way to do it.
The unfortunate truth is you somewhat lose the motivation for all of these social justice movements when you witness discrimination taking place in its name. And I've seen it enough times. The BBC have decided it needs to intentionally employ more gay and bisexual people despite the fact, logically speaking, you get the best candidates and in many cases the most diverse workforce by basing the selection criteria on merit and experience (you know, the things that actually matter to a company). What nailed it in the coffin for me was when colleagues at my own workplace said to me that we shouldn't be asking for employment recommendations from senior managers because it "would encourage middle aged white men to recommend more of the same". Hmm, yes, let's exclude anyone in their 50s or higher and have white skin. How about ****ing no. How about we DON'T be hypocrites and start discriminating the other way round.
Gotta admit, I've NEVER ever considered that point of view and it has logic and merit. But.......will it not devalue things somehow?
I’d be open to it. Kinda makes sense.I know why it isn’t that way. The LGBT+ doesn’t want to include straight people because then the acronym loses its meaning (awareness for these groups).
Diversity and inclusion are a sham. I’m gay, and I’ve seen it firsthand. What does anyone really get out of being diverse and inclusive? It’s mostly just good PR and profit. Not saying either of those are bad, but look at the real motive behind it before you join the rallies.
Just getting along with everyone isn’t as hard as people make it out to be, and it isn’t as big as an issue as people think. It’s easy to listen to the media go on and on about things, but theyre just using their influence to exaggerate.
I dont understand why S cant be added to LGBTQ acronym for straight?
No, straight people should not be included in the LGBTQ acronym.Are no straight people allies of that community?
having said that,
I see no problem with Tim Cook doing this tho, I think if anything its a refreshing departure from American politics. And more of a focus on his own personal identity and raising awareness/support, rather than the same rhetoric from every single ceo.
It's incredibly telling that we didn't get one comment into a discussion on Tim Cook supporting LGBTQ rights before someone complained that straight people are being left out.
My freedom does not equal your oppression. K?
I dont understand why S cant be added to LGBTQ acronym for straight?
Are no straight people allies of that community?
Only if you let it be devalued.
I'm not tolerant of those who seek to so quickly dismiss minority groups, no. I don't mean to "come out swinging," but it's incredibly frustrating as a member of the LGBTQ community when the first reaction to this story is straight people wondering if they should get a letter too.I personally don’t think so. But I’m Just one person
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It’s not a matter of feeling left out, It’s just a question I pose.
No need to come out swinging. Not very tolerant. Welcome diversity of ideas of ideas as well. Or at least discussion. Not just sexual orientation and skin color diversity. We’re a lot More common than not. Despite what the media wants us to think otherwise.
I'd imagine it's the same way black people feel when Black Lives Matter was drowned out by All Lives Matter two weeks later.
Gay people got the right to marry 5 years ago in this country. This is not an issue that's far behind us. Straight people have plenty of representation, so there's really no need to worry :)
Also, I've found that the majority of people in my life that complain about diversity are wholly opposed to the rights of minorities being protected. (They'd never say that, of course.) I'm way less interested in tolerating your instant dismissal and way more interested in fighting for equal protection under the law.
Many of us support family and friends with alternate perspectives on life (LGBTQ and otherwise). But... I suspect that adding "Straight" to this mix would be perceived as devaluing the 'specialness' of LGBTQ. Yes?
Only if you let it be devalued.I personally don’t think so. But I’m Just one person
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No, straight people should not be included in the LGBTQ acronym.
It’s not a matter of feeling left out, It’s just a question I pose.It's incredibly telling that we didn't get one comment into a discussion on Tim Cook supporting LGBTQ rights before someone complained that straight people are being left out.
My freedom does not equal your oppression. K?
No need to come out swinging. Not very tolerant. Welcome diversity of ideas of ideas as well. Or at least discussion. Not just sexual orientation and skin color diversity. We’re a lot More common than not. Despite what the media wants us to think otherwise