Apple and its CEO Tim Cook have been one of the companies signing a strongly-worded open letter that has been condemning the new directives of Gov. Greg Abbott. The new Texas legislation has been grossly anti-LGBTQ+. The letter and the entire phenomenon seem to have been coordinated with the Human Rights Campaign, with the open letter being signed by a multitude of companies like Google, Apple, IBM, and Meta. The entire scenario was recently published as a full-page ad in the Friday edition of The Dallas Morning News.
Tim Cook Has Gone On Twitter To Support the LGBTQ+ Communities
As reported by the Texas Tribune, the companies- like Tim Cook’s Apple, have been planning to use the letter to ask the Governor of Texas to abandon the anti-LGBTQ+ efforts perpetuating in the state. This does come after the Governor went ahead and authorized investigations into those families that have allowed their transgender kids to receive gender-affirming care. Also, Abbott and Texas do have a history of other pieces of legislation that are strictly anti-LGBTQ+ and anti women’s rights.
The CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, went on Twitter to voice his opposition to the laws- as he called himself a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. He also stated that he was deeply concerned about the laws that were being enacted throughout the country, particularly those that were focused on our vulnerable youth. He would stand with them and their families, and every ally that would be supporting the citizens of Texas in these troublesome times.
The criticism of Apple towards this legislature has some definite context to it. As has been well-documented, the company has already invested several billions of dollars in Austin, Texas, both in terms of production facilities and factory outlets along with corporate offices. Interestingly, Tim Cook himself went on a tour of a factory in 2019.