The number of companies that have
signed onto a letter denouncing President Donald Trump's plan to
define gender by a person's genitalia at birth has more than tripled
in the last two weeks.
Fifty-six companies, including Google,
Facebook, Amazon and Uber, originally signed onto the letter.
Two weeks later, the number has jumped
to 178. Some of the most recent signatures include Nike, PayPal and
Lush Cosmetics.
(Related: Trump
proposed rule change would “define transgender out of existence.”)
“We oppose any administrative and
legislative efforts to erase transgender protections through
reinterpretation of existing laws and regulations,” the companies
said in a joint statement. “We also fundamentally oppose any policy
or regulation that violates the privacy rights of those that identify
as transgender, gender non-binary or intersex.”
According to the Human Rights Campaign
(HRC), which co-organized the letter, the companies jointly employ
more than 7 million workers and have a collective annual revenue of
more than $3.2 trillion.
“Transgender people are our beloved
family members and friends, and our valued team members. What harms
transgender people harms our companies. We call for respect and
transparency in policy-making, and for equality under the law for
transgender people,” the
companies said.
HRC and Out Leadership, an LGBT
business group, led the effort for the statement.