Microsoft Gay Workers Unconvinced By Company's Rights Position

[Ian David]

Microsoft Gay Workers Unconvinced By Company's Rights Position
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: May 2, 2005 12:01 am ET

(Seattle, Washington) Microsoft's LGBT employees in an open letter to company Chairman Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer say they are unconvinced that the computer giant was not influenced by a conservative Christian pastor to rescind endorsement of a gay civil rights bill in Washington.

The legislation was defeated by a single vote in the Washington state Senate last month after the company quietly pulled its support for the measure. (story) The bill had already passed the House.

The Microsoft move followed a meeting between the company and the leader of an evangelical church located a stone's throw from Microsoft's Redmond headquarters. The Rev. Ken Hutcherson allegedly threatened a national boycott of Microsoft if it did not disavow itself from the gay rights bill that would have made discrimination against members of the LGBT community illegal.

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"We are deeply concerned about the way the decision was made, the failure to anticipate its impact, and our inability to quickly repair the damage once it had become evident," the group said in its letter to Ballmer, made public on the weekend. "This shook our trust in executive management, and has left us feeling abandoned, depressed, and embarrassed for Microsoft."

More:
http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/05/050205microsoft.htm