NEW & UNPRECEDENTED: 100+ Tech Leaders Now Call for LGBT Non-Discrimination Protections Nationwide

WASHINGTON - April 6, 2015 –- Reflecting an ever-increasing wave of support for LGBT equality, more than 100 technology industry leaders and counting have joined in an unprecedented statement to legislators calling for the addition of non-discrimination protections for LGBT people to civil rights laws. Launched last week in response to a host of anti-LGBT bills pending or signed into law in states around the country, technology leaders from coast to coast continue to sign on with their support in this historic call to action.

Over 100 anti-LGBT bills have been introduced in state legislatures this year alone. These tech leaders are unified in shifting lawmakers' focus away from divisive and discriminatory policies to passing comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBT people.

Last week, the business community helped negotiate a measure to limit the damage of a new anti-LGBT law in Indiana. Pressure from the business community also helped limit the damage of a new anti-LGBT bill in Arkansas. Using the momentum towards equality that these issues have garnered, this call to action by technology leaders sends a clear message to legislators nationwide that their laws must guarantee no one faces discrimination and that everyone preserves their right to live out their faith.

"The unified message from these business leaders is clear: Pass LGBT non-discrimination protections and pass them now," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "Until legislators finally step up to the plate and take action, this issue is not going to go away. It's time for elected officials to listen to the overwhelming voice of fair-minded Americans demanding equality for their LGBT loved ones, friends, and neighbors. No American should risk losing their job, be denied housing, or refused service simply because of who they are or whom they love."

New recent cosigners of the call to action for inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in non-discriminations laws include: Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO, Joyus.com; Michael Brown, President & CEO, Symantec; Sarah Leary, CoFounder, Nextdoor; Katie Stanton, VP, Twitter; Karen Appleton, Founder, Box.org; Brit Morin, CEO, Brit + Co; Susan Wojcicki, CEO, Youtube; Melody McCloskey, Founder, StyleSeat; Brandee Barker, Co-Founder & Partner, The Pramana Collective; Greg Tseng, CEO, if(we); David Tisch, Chairman, Boxgroup; Kristen Koh Goldstein, CEO, BackOps; Jessica Herrin, CEO, Stella & Dot; Brian O'Kelley, CEO, AppNexus; Jeff Lawson, CEO, Twilio; Steven R. Boal, CEO, Coupons.com; Gary Shapiro, CEO, Consumer Electronics Association; Kim Jabal, CFO, Path; Ryan Holmes, CEO, Hootsuite; Alison Pincus, Co-Founder, One Kings Lane ; Jeremy Liew, Managing Director, Lightspeed Venture Partners; Larry Page, President, Google; Eric Schmidt, Chairman, Google; Travis Kalanick, CEO, Uber Technologies; Brad Smith, CEO, Intuit; Mike Huang, CEO, Glow; Aileen Lee, Founder, Cowboy Ventures; Kristen Koh Goldstein, CEO, Scalus; Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook; Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook ; Chris Nicholas, President, Asymmetrica Labs; Ken Brownfield, CTO, Asymmetrica Labs; Stacy Brown-Philpot, COO, TaskRabbit; Nick Woodman, CEO of GoPro; Tony Bates, President of GoPro; Jack Lazar, CFO of GoPro; Tracy DiNunzio, CEO, Tradesy; John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco; Lorna Borenstein, CEO, Grokker.com; Michelle Peluso, CEO, Gilt; Ben Silbermann, CEO Pinterest; and Lloyd Carney, CEO, Brocade; Irakly George Arison, CEO, Shift Technologies Inc.; Evan Goldberg, CTO,  Netsuite; Zach Nelson, CEO, Netsuite; David Hassell, CEO, 15Five; Brian McAndrews, CEO, Pandora Media; Jared Fliesler, General Partner, Matrix Partners; Aaron Levy, CEO, Box.com; Karen Appleton, Founder, Box.org; Joshua Kushner, Founder, Thrive Capital; Marissa Mayer, CEO, Yahoo!; and Bracken P. Darrell, CEO, Logitech.

The full updated list of leaders is reflected below.

Joint Statement from Tech Industry Leaders

The values of diversity, fairness and equality are central to our industry. These values fuel creativity and inspiration, and those in turn make the U.S. technology sector the most admired in the world today.

We believe it is critically important to speak out about proposed bills and existing laws that would put the rights of minorities at risk. The transparent and open economy of the future depends on it, and the values of this great nation are at stake.

Religious freedom, inclusion, and diversity can co-exist and everyone including LGBT people and people of faith should be protected under their states' civil rights laws. No person should have to fear losing their job or be denied service or housing because of who they are or whom they love.

However, right now those values are being called into question in states across the country. In more than twenty states, legislatures are considering legislation that could empower individuals or businesses to discriminate against LGBT people by denying them service if it they felt it violated their religious beliefs.

To ensure no one faces discrimination and ensure everyone preserves their right to live out their faith, we call on all legislatures to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to their civil rights laws and to explicitly forbid discrimination or denial of services to anyone.

Anything less will only serve to place barriers between people, create hurdles to creativity and inclusion, and smother the kind of open and transparent society that is necessary to create the jobs of the future. Discrimination is bad for business and that's why we've taken the time to join this joint statement.

Sincerely,

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

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The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) seeks to improve the lives of LGBT Americans by advocating for equal rights and benefits in the workplace, ensuring families are treated equally under the law and increasing public support among all Americans through innovative advocacy, education and outreach programs. HRC works to secure equal rights for LGBT individuals and families at the federal and state levels by lobbying elected officials, mobilizing grassroots supporters, educating Americans, investing strategically to elect fair-minded officials and partnering with other LGBT organizations.

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