According to Gizmodo, Apple has made a personal call to Arizona governor, Jan Brewer, to use her powers of veto the Senate Bill 1062 which will see business legally refuse to serve members of the LGBT community and uphold employees’ refusals to work alongside LGBT persons, citing “religious beliefs.”
Apple, who spearheaded the explosion of mobile gaming with their iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices, will create thousands of jobs in the state by breaking ground on a factory that will manufacture the new “sapphire glass.” The electronics manufacturer has joined the group of other household American companies, such as American Airlines and Marriott, who have also voiced strong objections to the bill.
This dissent from some of America’s most powerful economic players means that the passing of the bill could result in a significant economic impact on the state with the possibility of national and international downsizing or ceasing trading there as a result.
Apple’s Gay History?
Some suggest that Apple’s LGBT history goes back to their original logo; a rainbow apple with a bite taken out of it. It’s considered homage to the grandfather of modern computing, Alan Turing, who infamously committed suicide after “treatment” from the British government to “cure” him of his homosexuality. His method of suicide was by taking a bit of an apple laced with cyanide.
Whether the suggestions are true or not, Apple have an overall modern-day record of supporting LGBT rights. Current CEO Tim Cook also went on record saying that Apple have, “an opportunity to end LGBT discrimination,” when collecting a Lifetime Achievement Award from Auburn University last year.
Apple’s Hypocrisy?
Of course, some see Apple’s interjection into politics as a little hypocritical, given the continuing scrutiny over worker conditions at their Foxconn factory in China, as well as back in 2011 allowing a “gay cure” app to appear on iTunes which was removed after fervent global outcry.
However, we’re happy that a company so in-tune with gamers and gaming have decided to take a stance against such a woeful bill, especially as we’ve already looked at the impact it could have on LGBT gamers possibly being denied services.
