Intel on Friday joined the growing list
of companies backing a federal bill that seeks to ban anti-LGBT
discrimination in all areas of civil rights.
If approved, the bill, titled the
Equality Act, would prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in seven key
areas, including credit, education, employment, federal funding,
housing, jury service and public accommodations, by effectively
expanding the Civil Rights Act, originally approved in 1964.
“Intel supports the Equality Act and
the protections for LGBT Americans it outlines, and we thank Senator
[Jeff] Merkley and his colleagues for their leadership on this
important U.S. legislation,” Intel
said in a blog post.
“We respect, value, and celebrate the
unique points of view and opportunities that come with diversity in
our employees, communities, customers, suppliers, and other partners
in the global marketplace. We believe that a more inclusive
workforce makes us a stronger company, and that our impact on
people’s lives around the world is a direct result of our diverse
employees. Ensuring equality for LGBT individuals is not only good
for our business, it’s the right thing to do.”
Intel joins Symantec, IBM, Orbitz,
American Airlines, Amazon, General Electric, HP, Microsoft, General
Mills, Google, Facebook, Nike, Apple, The Dow Chemical Company and
Levi Strauss, & Co. in supporting the bill.
Democratic presidential candidates
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Martin O'Malley and Vermont Senator Bernie
Sanders have also endorsed the Equality Act.