Apple and over 40 U.S. companies have signed a letter opposing several "anti-LGBTQ" legislation bills currently being considered in courts across the country (via AL.com).

human rights campaign logo
The open letter, drafted by the Human Rights Campaign and published Wednesday, argues that measures proposed in the bills would harm LGBT staff and negatively impact the companies that employ them.

"These bills would harm our team members and their families, stripping them of opportunities and making them feel unwelcome and at risk in their own communities," the letter states. "As such, it can be exceedingly difficult for us to recruit the most qualified candidates for jobs in states that pursue such laws, and these measures can place substantial burdens on the families of our employees who already reside in these states."

[...]

"America's business community has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws have a negative effect on our employees, our customers, our competitiveness, and state and national economies."

The letter is signed by tech giants Apple, Amazon, AT&T, Dropbox, Google, IBM, Lyft, Microsoft, PayPal, Salesforce and Uber, along with many other major corporations including Capital One, Ikea, Levi Strauss, Marriott International, Nike, Danone North America, Mars, Nestle USA and Unilever.

Apple has taken a strong position on inclusion and equality under CEO Tim Cook's watch. In 2015, Apple joined 378 other companies urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of marriage equality. More recently, Apple argued for LGBT worker protections in a 2019 joint amicus filing with the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cook has consistently pushed for inclusion and diversity, which Apple refers to as its "greatest strength" on its website. "To create products that serve everyone, we believe in including everyone."

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Top Rated Comments

Hodar1 Avatar
70 months ago
These are the bills https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbt-rights-across-country

Some prevent Boys who identify as girls, from competing against Girls in sports. So we don't have what we are seeing now, become the norm.

Some prevent Doctors from giving per-pubescent (ie. children) drugs that prevent adolescent hormones; thus preventing the person from naturally entering puberty. Such drugs can lead to life-long sterility, psychological, and biological disorders. We DO NOT KNOW all the future ramifications of intentionally interfering with a naturally occurring life stage (ie. adolescence). We do know that permanent sterility is a very likely scenario.

Now, a child cannot buy a home, sign a contract, get married, or enter into any legally binding arrangement - because they are a CHILD. But, they can, and are wise enough to make the decision to PERMANENTLY alter their bodies, before legal adulthood, or even entering puberty - and this is apparently offensive to people?

How about let their bodies reach maturation - then mutilate it any way you want to; when are are a legal adult, when it's entirely YOUR decision, and not when you are pressured by one parent or the other. Seems like sanity to me.
Score: 58 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
70 months ago
Sad that sexuality has to be such an issue. Sad that rights for certain groups of humans still have to be fought for.

Happy that Apple and the others aren’t afraid to take a stand. If companies and executives want to make people’s lives better and allow them to have more opportunities, I’m all for it.

These companies can make their profits AND speak on social issues as well.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Prof. Avatar
70 months ago
I swear, straights think more about gay people and gay sex than gay people do... y'all got something you wanna tell us?
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrono1081 Avatar
70 months ago
LGBT people deserve equal rights, period, end of story. There is literally no valid argument anyone can make against that, not even religion because guess what, your religion should have ZERO bearing on anyone else's life.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rojaaemon Avatar
70 months ago
Since absolutely no facts relating the specific content of these laws, the specific legislators or parties which propose or support the laws and why, or any information about where these laws are being proposed and argued about, it's impossible to have a meaningful opinion on this story.

Perhaps MacRumors can provide more information.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GreenPixel Avatar
70 months ago
So, these companies support ruining women's sports and minors being able to make life-long decisions by mutilating themselves. Awesome. This "woke" culture needs to stop.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...