Dozens of companies, including Google, Meta, IBM and Salesforce, are pressing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to stop legislation that defines gender-affirming care as “child abuse.”
The companies published a full-page advertisement in the Dallas Morning News on Friday titled “Discrimination is bad for business.” Over 60 companies are listed on the ad, including Microsoft, LinkedIn, PayPal, Apple, Pinterest and others.
The companies wrote that the state’s legislation, which requires doctors, nurses and teachers to report parents who help their children undergo gender-affirming medical treatments, goes against their values. The ACLU is suing Texas to stop its implementation, and a Texas judge partially blocked Abbott’s order. That judge is holding a hearing on the issue today.
“This policy creates fear for employees and their families, especially those with transgender children, who might now be faced with choosing to provide the best possible medical care for their children but risk having those children removed by child protective services for doing so,” the companies wrote.
This isn’t the first time tech companies have spoken out about the governor’s law. Dell spoke out against the legislation when it was first making its way through the Texas legislature, and multiple tech companies including Apple and Salesforce signed onto a petition condemning the bill on Thursday. Tim Cook also tweeted to express his concerns about the bill.
As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am deeply concerned about laws being enacted across the country, particularly those focused on our vulnerable youth. I stand with them and the families, loved ones, and allies who support them.— Tim Cook (@Tim Cook) 1646961797
Texas has increasingly become a hub for tech companies including Tesla — which recently moved its headquarters to the state — Apple, Amazon, Oracle and Google, and as a result, they have found themselves entangled in state politics.
But for the most part, responses from tech companies have been half-hearted at best. In Florida, where a bill limiting discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity is becoming law, tech companies with a presence in the state have remained fairly quiet. Disney’s Bob Chapek spoke out about the bill, but after receiving some backlash for his response, he said he’d meet with Florida Gov. Rob DeSantis about the legislation.
Climate TRACE's data show emissions at the facility-level.Image: Climate TRACE