Apple, Facebook Among Companies Joining Brief In Support Of Gay Marriage

Apple, Facebook and Microsoft are among the companies signing on to a legal brief in support of gay marriage.

According to Bloomberg, the brief will be submitted this week to the Supreme Court in support of a suit challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's 2008 voter-approved constitutional amendment limiting marriage to heterosexual unions.

Passage of Proposition 8 put an end to the weddings of gay and lesbian couples taking place in the state after the California Supreme Court legalized such unions.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case next month and is expected to hand down a ruling in June.

In the brief, the companies argue that such bans harm workplace morale and undermine recruiting.

“No matter how welcoming the corporate culture, it cannot overcome the societal stigma institutionalized by Proposition 8 and similar laws,” the companies wrote.

A second group of companies, more than 200, are expected to file a separate brief in a case challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevents federal agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples.