AT&T has come out strong against Russia's anti-LGBT law.
In a blog posting on the eve of the start of the Olympics in Sochi, Russia, AT&T said it supports the Human Rights Campaign's call on International Olympic Committee sponsors Dow Chemical, Coca-Cola, General Electric, McDonald's, Procter & Gamble, Panasonic, Samsung, Omega, Visa and Atos to come out unequivocally against anti-LGBT law and urge the IOC to reject future bids from countries with such laws.
"AT&T is not an IOC sponsor, so we did not receive the HRC request," AT&T said. "However, we are a long-standing sponsor of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), we support HRC’s principles and we stand against Russia’s anti-LGBT law....We support LGBT equality globally and we condemn violence, discrimination and harassment targeted against LGBT individuals everywhere. Russia’s law is harmful to LGBT individuals and families, and it’s harmful to a diverse society."
The LGBT Technology Partnership, which lobbies for technologies, like broadband, that empower the LGBT community, saluted AT&T for what it said was a bold move.
"We commend AT&T’s leadership in this area and encourage other technology corporations to follow AT&T’s lead. In fact, the LGBT Technology Partnership encourages all companies that support equality, human rights and social justice, regardless of their industry, to follow AT&T’s lead in condemning Russia’s oppressive laws."
