GSBA Members Step Up to Oppose DOMA

Read more about Edith Windsor and her case.

Equality is good business and equality profits everyone!

As early as January, GSBA took a leadership position and signed on to the business amicus brief for the United States v Windsor case challenging section 3 of DOMA in the Supreme Court. Today the full brief has been filed, and GSBA is joined by 277 other organizations, businesses, cities and employers.  The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments for the case one month from today on March 27.

The Windsor Brief offers GSBA and those working for equality in business an opportunity to participate in this historic moment. The full brief can be found here.

As an LGBT and allied chamber working to achieve equality in business for over 32 years, Louise Chernin, GSBA’s President & CEO stated “we couldn’t be more proud than being able to take an early lead and reach out to our business members and other LGBT Chambers around the country encouraging them to join GSBA and sign the Windsor Amicus Brief as a friend of the court. For businesses to be successful in today’s competitive economy, it is essential that employers be able to have an inclusive work environment in which all employees are treated respectfully and fairly.”

Joining us are the Connecticut Alliance for Business Opportunities (CABO), the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce (GBCC), the Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA), the Long Beach Community Business Network, the Portland Area Business Association (PABA), the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley and of course the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). Joining them were our partners at the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, and our wonderful City of Seattle and King County.

"When the DOMA was signed into law in 1996, the legislation silenced the rights of 16 million Americans, but also an important subset of almost 1.4 million LGBT-owned businesses—Americans who today cannot easily pass the benefits of their industry to their families," said Justin Nelson, NGLCC President and Co-Founder. "It is the NGLCC's hope—and this amicus brief's objective—that the federal government should not hinder an employer from treating all married employees in the same way."

"When the DOMA was signed into law in 1996, the legislation silenced the rights of 16 million Americans, but also an important subset of almost 1.4 million LGBT-owned businesses—Americans who today cannot easily pass the benefits of their industry to their families," said Justin Nelson, NGLCC President and Co-Founder. "It is the NGLCC's hope—and this amicus brief's objective—that the federal government should not hinder an employer from treating all married employees in the same way." - See more at: http://www.nglcc.org/Amicus+Brief+US+vs+Windsor#sthash.bDGZG5G7.dpuf

We are so proud to see so many of our members on this brief, from some of the largest employers in the region to sole proprietors. For some companies like Verity Credit Union, taking a position at all is a big deal.  "Verity does not have a tradition of taking “political” stands," stated Executive Vice President John Zmolek after signing. "This was a big step forward for our company." GSBA wants to thank the following members for standing up and adding their voice to the growing majority of Americans in favor of equality at the federal level:

Alaska Air Group
Alaska Airlines
Avanade Inc
Bigelow Villa LLC (aka The Lobby Bar)
Central Physical Therapy and Fitness, Inc
City Catering Company
City Lights Neon, Inc
Crazy Misfits Pet Services
David Kosar Insurance Agency
Distinguished Gay Men
DML Insurance Services, Inc
Eldercare Consulting
Ernst & Young LLP
Flanery CPA
Google Inc
Group Health Cooperative
Homeward Pet Adoption Center
Horizon Air Industries Inc
ID Financial LLC
James D. Wood, DDS Family Dental Care
Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group
Kollmar Sheet Metal Works, Inc
Larson Marketing & Communications LLC
Liberty Mutual Group, Inc
Marriott International, Inc
Microsoft Corporation
Morgan Stanley
New York Life Insurance Company
Precision Door Service
RLL Consulting & Advocacy, LLC
Seabold International Services, LLC
Seattle Hospitality Group LLC
The Seattle Lesbian, LLC
Starbucks Corporation
Stuffed Cakes, LLC
Total Awareness Accounting Services
Total Home Improvement, Inc
VCB Consulting & Accounting Services
Velsch Unliminted LLC
Verity Credit Union
VitalSource Staffing, LLC
Vulcan Inc
Windows Management Experts, Inc
Integrity law Group
Jonathan L. Bowman, Attorney at Law, PS
Law Office of Lisa E. Schuchman
Law Office of Susan K. Fuller, PLLC
Law Office of Cynthia F. Buhr, PLLC
Mona Smith PLLC
Public Interest Law Group PLLC
Skellenger Bender, PS
Spectra Law, PS