Apple and Other Companies Push Forward in Fight for Marriage Equality

MacRumors · Mar 6, 2015

A total of 379 companies, including Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google, have joined together to urge the Supreme Court to rule in favor of blanketed nationwide support for marriage equality (via The Verge).

The companies filed an amicus brief yesterday, represented by law firm Morgan Lewis, in the on-going Obergefell v. Hodges case, wherein two men are arguing that the state of Ohio discriminates against legal out-of-state same-sex marriages. Apple, along with the 378 other companies, angled towards a business-focused case for supporting every couple's right to marry.

Apple at the 44th Annual Pride Parade in San Francisco

The brief claims that due to "a fractured legal landscape with no uniform rule on same-sex marriage", both employees and employers face increasingly burden-filled relationships, making it difficult to conduct proper business practices. The coterie of companies isn't represented by just well-known tech companies, but small family-owned businesses and other big non-tech brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, and United Airlines, as well.

"The competition for top talent crosses state and even national borders. State laws that prohibit same-sex marriage make it harder for businesses to recruit and retain talented employees," says Morgan Lewis Partner Susan Baker Manning, counsel of record on the brief. "The patchwork of inconsistent state marriage laws makes it challenging and more costly for employers to administer benefits systems when some employees are unable to marry, and other employees' marriages are not recognized by the state. This burdens businesses by costing them both time and money."

Obergefell v. Hodges will enter the Supreme Court in April, and is one of a few others it will hear regarding the marriage equality issue. The main issue expected to be covered is whether the Constitution protects all same-sex couples in their right to marry regardless of their state, or if individual states will retain the right to prohibit gay marriage.

Apple has, unsurprisingly, voiced support for same-sex marriage in the past and marched in pride parades in San Francisco, with CEO Tim Cook coming out as gay in a letter written to Bloomberg Businessweek just last October. Most recently, last December the company voiced support in naming a proposed bill in Alabama after the Apple CEO that would focus on anti-discrimination in regards to sexual orientation in the work place. Currently, there are 36 states, and Washington, D.C., that support gay marriage.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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.

Article Link: Apple and Other Companies Push Forward in Fight for Marriage Equality

jonblatho · Mar 6, 2015

Good on Apple for being on the right side of history.

I can't wait for the days when a thread like this won't have to be in PRSI.

Tycho24 · Mar 6, 2015

jonblatho said:
Good on Apple for being on the right side of history.

I can't wait for the days when a thread like this won't have to be in PRSI.

Hear hear!

BillyBobBongo · Mar 6, 2015

jonblatho said:
Good on Apple for being on the right side of history.

I can't wait for the days when a thread like this won't have to be in PRSI.

I wish I could up-vote this more than just once!

yg17 · Mar 6, 2015

Time to go get the popcorn, pro marriage equality threads on the front page always seem to attract the nuts.

I guess with Apple, Microsoft and Google all supporting marriage equality, the bigots who refuse to support companies who support equality will have to get rid of their phones and computers. Their stone age technology will go great with their stone age beliefs.

DirtySocks85 · Mar 6, 2015

Good for Apple for supporting this. I do wonder if the business argument here is the true motivation,or of these companies are just run by decent human beings who have realized a business angle
they can argue to SCOTUS.

Stella · Mar 6, 2015

Its a shame that the u.s has its feet dragging regarding same sex marriages. A lot of other countries have already adopted this successfully.

All kinds of excuses - "will destroy marriage", "because god said", "the children will turn gay!" ( which there is absolutely no evidence for ).. blah blah blah.

Anyway, its great that a lot of companies are behind the effort for marriage equality in the states.

lowendlinux · Mar 6, 2015

Probably a bit of both but only the business case is relevant to the business'.

the8thark · Mar 6, 2015

It's sad when human rights can only be talked about in secluded areas (like on these forums). The day true marriage equality will happen is when people say marriage and it means both opposite sex and same sex. Also for this true equality to happen it will have to be allowed to be talked about out in the open.

Apple and co took this message to the streets. A public place where everyone can have their say. A shame these forums do not feel the same way.

filmantopia · Mar 6, 2015

the8thark said:
It's sad when human rights can only be talked about in secluded areas (like on these forums). The day true marriage equality will happen is when people say marriage and it means both opposite sex and same sex. Also for this true equality to happen it will have to be allowed to be talked about out in the open.

Apple and co took this message to the streets. A public place where everyone can have their say. A shame these forums do not feel the same way.

You don't feel like it can be talked about in the open? Where do you live? I guess things are just really progressive here in NYC-- it's not a taboo topic at all.

Intelligent · Mar 6, 2015

the8thark said:
The day true marriage equality will happen is when people say marriage and it means both opposite sex and same sex

What do you mean by this? I would say many countries already have "true" marriage equality, but of course there are people with opinions about it but there will always be.

chriscrk · Mar 6, 2015

Another great reason to support Apple

anubis72 · Mar 6, 2015

yg17 said:
Time to go get the popcorn, pro marriage equality threads on the front page always seem to attract the nuts.

I guess with Apple, Microsoft and Google all supporting marriage equality, the bigots who refuse to support companies who support equality will have to get rid of their phones and computers. Their stone age technology will go great with their stone age beliefs.

Says the guy with the offensive signature. You'd never say that about Islam, would you?

I'm not against marriage equality in the least, but will people please STOP with clumping all Christians into the same stereotypical ******** that you also loathe?

bushido · Mar 6, 2015

should be a non issue in 2015. sadly it still isn't. now wanna hear about real issues? I am not allowed to wear shorts when I go home home! bare legs. the horror!

yg17 · Mar 6, 2015

anubis72 said:
Says the guy with the offensive signature. You'd never say that about Islam, would you?

What's so offensive about my signature?

Jesus was not born in the US: Check
Jesus was dark skinned: Check
Jesus preached peace and nonviolence: Check
Jesus healed the sick: Check

My signature is making fun of birthers and the morons who scream about President Obama being a socialist. And it's quite complimentary towards Jesus. I fail to see how it's offensive.

Happybunny · Mar 6, 2015

Well done Apple

Another small step on the road to true equality.

Soon the US will join the growing group of nations, who already have same sex marriage.

There since 2001.

Technarchy · Mar 6, 2015

Now they need to start marching for 2GB of RAM in the iPhone.

Lord knows progress is needed there.

dustinsc · Mar 6, 2015

Probably not relevant to this, but it really gets my goat when people use the term "marriag Is e equality." Just use the neutral, descriptive term "same sex marriage." There are plenty of people who feel that marriage is plenty equal now since marriage, by its definition, does not include same sex couples. Others, such as polygamists, look at same sex marriage and think that it's not enough, because their own marriage is not considered equal. I'm sure some guy out there would love to marry a close relative, and so his marriage is unequal until he gets that "right."

----------

Stella said:
Its a shame that the u.s has its feet dragging regarding same sex marriages. A lot of other countries have already adopted this successfully.

All kinds of excuses - "will destroy marriage", "because god said", "the children will turn gay!" ( which there is absolutely no evidence for ).. blah blah blah.

Anyway, its great that a lot of companies are behind the effort for marriage equality in the states.

I don't think you have been paying attention to the actual debate. The real debate involves things like the conjugal view of marriage, whether marriage between two people whose union cannot produce children accomplishes the state's objective in giving recognition to some types of relationships, etc. It's a real debate with real, non-religious issues.

Moyank24 · Mar 6, 2015

dustinsc said:
I don't think you have been paying attention to the actual debate. The real debate involves things like the conjugal view of marriage, whether marriage between two people whose union cannot produce children accomplishes the state's objective in giving recognition to some types of relationships, etc. It's a real debate with real, non-religious issues.

If this were true, then there would be legislation to ensure that all who get married sign a contract that they must produce children in order for the marriage to be legal. Then would come the legislation putting an age limit on marriage, because, you know, people lose the ability to have children as they get older.

There are plenty of opposite sex couples who get married and don't have children. There are also of same sex couples who get married (or not married depending on where they live) and DO have children.

That isn't even close to the actual debate.... And I would hardly call it a debate, as it's a poor definition even for heterosexual marriage.

Nunyabinez · Mar 6, 2015

The real mistake was for governments to get involved in marriage in the first place. If government hadn't given special privileges to couples who contracted with the state to be together we wouldn't have all these stupid arguments and gay people could get married in their church that supported that and straight people could get married in churches that supported that. And atheists would just decide to be together. The state would treat them all the same; as individuals. Certainly today there is no compelling reason for the government to be involved.

haxrnick · Mar 6, 2015

yg17 said:
What's so offensive about my signature?

Jesus was not born in the US: Check
Jesus was dark skinned: Check
Jesus preached peace and nonviolence: Check
Jesus healed the sick: Check

My signature is making fun of birthers and the morons who scream about President Obama being a socialist. And it's quite complimentary towards Jesus. I fail to see how it's offensive.

You failed to answer his question.

Nunyabinez · Mar 6, 2015

Moyank24 said:
If this were true, then there would be legislation to ensure that all who get married sign a contract that they must produce children in order for the marriage to be legal. Then would come the legislation putting an age limit on marriage, because, you know, people lose the ability to have children as they get older.

But, the US government at least gives you tax benefits for having children, because at least historically, it was in society's best interest to promote child bearing. Maybe you could enlighten us as to why government took over marriage and made it a contract that involved the state? If not to encourage stability and child bearing why does marriage exist?

yg17 · Mar 6, 2015

haxrnick said:
You failed to answer his question.

It's an irrelevant question. Say what about Islam? My signature doesn't mention any specific religion. If Mohammed was for all those things, then I'd put his name there instead of Jesus. But as far as I know, he wasn't.

Nunyabinez · Mar 6, 2015

MacRumors said:
Obergefell v. Hodges will enter the Supreme Court in April, and is one of a few others it will hear regarding the marriage equality issue. The main issue expected to be covered is whether the Constitution protects all same-sex couples in their right to marry regardless of their state, or if individual states will retain the right to prohibit gay marriage.

It's a shame that this case has such a difficult set of names. It's quite possible that it will make gay marriage universal in the US, and while Roe v. Wade rolls off the tongue quite nicely, Obergefell v. Hodges not so much.

theheadguy · Mar 6, 2015

anubis72 said:
Says the guy with the offensive signature. You'd never say that about Islam, would you? I'm not against marriage equality in the least, but will people please STOP with clumping all Christians into the same stereotypical ******** that you also loathe?

You should have thought more about this before posting. He wasn't making fun of Christians at all, or inferring that he loathed them. In fact, it was complementary to Jesus, not offensive. Yeah... you should have taken a deep breath once you were all worked up over your confusion.

Apple and Other Companies Push Forward in Fight for Marriage Equality

macrumors bot

macrumors 68030

Suspended

macrumors 68030

macrumors Pentium

macrumors 65816

macrumors G3

macrumors 603

macrumors 601

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 6502a

macrumors regular

Suspended

macrumors Pentium

macrumors 68000

macrumors 604

macrumors regular

macrumors 601

macrumors 68000

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 68000

macrumors Pentium

macrumors 68000

macrumors 65816

Our Staff