Microsoft, along with Nike and RealNetworks, believe Washington’s failure to recognise gay marriage has gone on long enough. So they’ve called out the state government, pushing for legislators to pass the two gay marriage bills currently circulating through their chambers.
According to the Atlantic, Microsoft, citing the need for equality in order to attract the best employees to their company, issued the following statement on their blog:
As other states recognise marriage equality, Washington’s employers are at a disadvantage if we cannot offer a similar, inclusive environment to our talented employees, our top recruits and their families. Employers in the technology sector face an unprecedented national and global competition for top talent.
Despite progress made in recent years with domestic partnership rights, same-sex couples in Washington still hold a different status from their neighbours. Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognise the committed relationships of same-sex couples — Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. This in turn will help us continue to compete for talent.
Hard to disagree with that. [The Atlantic]
Image: Nils Geylen
Josh
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 9:44 AMThis comment has been deemed inappropriate and has been deleted.
Titsnass
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 10:07 AMCan we assume then that you are anti gay marriage? Everybody has the right to find a life partner, everybody should have the right to consolidate that relationship! One of the best ways to achieve that is to put pressure on the powers that be. Microsoft has just as much right to apply that pressure as you or I.
Johnno
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11:24 AMNo, you can’t assume that because his comment has nothing to do with his personal views on gay marriage, so your reply is irrelevant.
I hate it when people assume things in their comments, and then go off on a rant.
The comment was about what constitutes tech news. I’d say this article is kind of ‘on the line’ as it were, but I still found the article interesting.
Titsnass
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 3:11 PMMate this is a discussion forum where people discuss things. I would hardly call my comment a rant, and they are talking about Microsoft! How tech do you need it to be? Not sure why they removed Josh’s comment, I didn’t think it was that bad.
Danny Allen
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 3:14 PMRe: Josh, Comments are to discuss content of stories, not to debate what should and shouldn’t be ‘news worthy’. For that, we have editors and readers have free will of what they do and don’t read. Cheers!
Titsnass
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:15 PMActually instead of hypocritical, read hypercritical, sorry bout that!
Johnno
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 8:54 PMThis comment has been deemed inappropriate and has been deleted.
Spuddy
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 10:25 AMNike preaching morality? That’s a little hypocritical. Microsoft raises a valid point though.
Louise
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 10:48 AMI believe it is by going PC is what eventually brings empires to their knees.
scotty
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11:55 AMDid ancient Rome go “PC”? Maybe they should have used Macs…
Mutton
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 12:17 PMGreat to see the so-called ‘evil-empire’ continuously becoming less evil. Good work MS.
MD
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 4:55 PMNow that the call is to secularise marriage (I think you wil find that marriage as we know it in the west is secularised… You may have a religious type saying a few words, but either they or the mat at the Town Registry office will be authorised by the state to perform the official signing of the book… that is secular…
So time to revoke Laws limiting the scope of marriage…
What is wrong with, interspecies marriage, intrafamiliary marriage, multifactorial marriage, as everyone surely has the right to have a life partner(s) of their choosing… Who is to say that if Marriage is not between a man and a women, and if it can be between two men, or women, why not 4 men, 5 women, or a combination of such, why not a man and his dog, or the lady and her horse…… What is wrong with the girl and her brother (disgusting i know) but if we have no limitations, and if everyone has the right, if there are reproduction issues (incest related), ensure adequate sterilisation is performed…(afteral marriage is no longer related to reproduction, we are often told by the liberal left)
If people have no conscience on the topic, make it open-slather, the proponents of unorthodox marriage and relations will simply breed themselves out of existence, and the world will be left to the religious fundamentalists.. (they prefer it that way) (after the Pagans all die from AIDS)
Please not these comments are not the opinions of the author, merely drawing conclusions from the facts.
Spuddy
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 5:32 PMI think you should think about these things in your head before writing them. Nobody is harmed in same-sex marriage and both people must provide consent. Incest will remain illegal because of the potential harm to any children. Animals cannot consent to marriage so that will never happen. You also need to take into account that almost nobody actually wants these marriages and they will never gather much support. I don’t even know how you could think Pagans will die off.
MDolley
Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 6:26 PMMarriage between humans and non-humans will never be allowed because of the requirement for consent.
Marriage between direct relations will never be allowed because of abuse/grooming issues. Also, I don’t think it makes sense mathematically as the number of people who are incestuous is obviously lower than the number of homosexual people. The chance of two incestuous people being related would have to be fairly low.
As for marriage between two or more people? This would require considerable additional legislation relating to the division of property should such a relationship fail, as well as increased problems for the family courts when children are involved. Removing gender from the marriage act doesn’t have the same flow-on issues.
Also, this article isn’t about whether it is right or wrong. Microsoft are talking from a recruitment point of few. It is harder for them to attract talent because the states legislation is behind other states.
olearymo
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 9:20 AMWhoa, whoa, whoa… RealNetworks still exists?!!?!
TSH
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 11:51 AMI don’t understand how it’s that much of a limitation to MS’ ability to attract talent. I’m all for gay marriage to be permitted, but I don’t see the connection with attracting the right kind of employee.
Osiris Fox
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 1:55 PMMicrosoft you beauty. Like a good wine ey.