IBM, AT&T and American Airlines are
among the companies lining up against a Texas bill that seeks to
restrict bathroom access for transgender people.
The bill is a top priority for some
Republicans as state lawmakers reconvene in Austin for a 30-day
special session that starts Tuesday.
IBM has taken out full-page ads in
major Texas newspapers condemning the proposed legislation and has
dispatched nearly 20 top executives to lobby lawmakers, The
Texas Tribune reported.
On Monday, the tech giant, which
employs more than 10,000 people in Texas, outlined its opposition to
the bill in an internal memo sent to thousands of employees around
the globe.
“Why Texas? And why now?” wrote
Diane Gherson, IBM's senior vice president for human resources. “On
July 18, the Texas Legislature will start a 30-day special session,
where it is likely some will try to advance a discriminatory
'bathroom bill' similar to the one that passed in North Carolina last
year. It is our goal to convince Texas elected officials to abandon
these efforts.”
“A bathroom bill like the one in
Texas sends a message that it is okay to discriminate against someone
just for being who they are,” she added.
More than a dozen major Dallas-based
corporations on Monday delivered letters to Republican leaders
condemning the bill. Companies lining up against the legislation
include American Airlines, AT&T and BNSF Railway.
“This legislation threatens our
ability to attract and retain the best talent in Texas, as well as
the greatest sporting and cultural attractions in the world,” the
companies wrote.
Facebook
and Apple previously came out against the measure.