Speaking this week at the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Vice President Joe Biden called
on business leaders to promote LGBT rights around the globe.
According to Reuters, gay rights are on
the World Economic Forum's official agenda for the first time this
year.
Biden called on executives to use their
influence to push for greater acceptance of LGBT rights in countries
where sexual minorities face repression.
“You can change the terms of debate,”
Biden
said. “You actually put governments on notice.”
Such discrimination has no cultural
justification, Biden said.
“People used to be cannibals as part
of their culture. People used to do terrible things as part of their
culture,” he said, banging his fist on a table.
Biden added that he routinely brings up
the topic when meeting with world leaders: “I have had some run-ins
with at least four heads of state already on this.”
Nathan Blecharczyk of Airbnb, Muhtar
Kent of The Coca Cola Company and Anthony Scaramucci of SkyBridge
Capital were among the U.S. executives who attended the meeting.