Tech giant Microsoft publicly stated its support for legislation currently being considered that would legalize same-sex marriage in Washington State.

The letter to Gov. Chris Gregoire was cosigned by several other companies in the state, but Microsoft (which is headquartered just outside of Seattle) was by far the largest and most influential. The letter read in its entirety:

“We write you today to show the support of our respective companies for SB 6239 and HB 2516 recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples.”

In a blog post, Microsoft further explained their reasons. The company made an economic case, arguing that the state’s discriminatory policy puts them at a disadvantage when trying to attract the best and brightest talent:

As other states recognize 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… Marriage equality in Washington would put employers here on an equal footing with employers in the six other states that already recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples – Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

However, Microsoft has repeatedly supported gay rights on the national level as well, including opposing the Defense of Marriage Act and withdrawing from a marketing deal that indirectly funded anti-gay organizations.

What do you think? Will Microsoft’s support have a big impact?

[Source: The Atlantic]

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