Scroll To Top
Business

IBM, Sparring With Antigay Jindal, Cancels Louisiana Event

IBM, Sparring With Antigay Jindal, Cancels Louisiana Event

Ibm_batonrouge2

IBM will not be hosting a ribbon-cutting for their new Baton Rouge office, thanks to the governor's discriminatory executive order.

Nbroverman
Support The Advocate
LGBTQ+ stories are more important than ever. Join us in fighting for our future. Support our journalism.

When an Indiana-like "religious freedom" bill was being debated in the Louisiana legislature, IBM sent a strongly-worded letter to governor Bobby Jindal urging him to veto such legislation. Jindal, a Republican who's expected to announce his run for the presidency this week, did the opposite; when the legislation died, the governor signed an executive order that effectively allowed businesses to turn away those who conflict with their religion, e.g., LGBT people.

"Gov. Jindal made it clear that he's so desperate to advance his long-shot presidential campaign that he'll say or do almost anything, including enable discrimination in the name of religion," JoDee Winterhof, vice president of policy and political affairs at the Human Rights Campaign, said at the time.

IBM is apparently none too pleased with Jindal, and canceled the ribbon-cutting for their new National Service Center in downtown Baton Rouge that was long planned for Monday.The tech company quietly pulled the event from their schedule because of the governor's power play, reports the local CBS affiliate.

While the event could get rescheduled for the fall, IBM is currently keeping mum about their plans. Read more here.

WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports

Nbroverman
The Advocates with Sonia BaghdadyOut / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.
Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.