Over 400 Major Businesses Endorse Equality Act, LGBTQ+ Civil Rights

More than 400 major U.S. businesses have endorsed the Equality Act.

The Business Coalition for the Equality Act, which supports the passage of the LGBTQ+ civil rights legislation, has grown to include dozens of Fortune 500 companies, among them Apple, General Motors, Facebook, PepsiCo, Starbucks, Marriott, and Capital One.

"At Marriott, we believe that every individual, including those in the LGBTQ community, should feel welcome, safe and respected when they enter one of our properties," the hotel company said in a statement, echoing beliefs from other major corporations. "As a global hospitality leader, our principles of non-discrimination extend to all travelers, and include sexual orientation and gender identity. That is why we are proud to join with the Human Rights Campaign and support passage of the Equality Act, to help ensure equality under the law as well as under our own roof."

The Equality Act, which passed February in the U.S. House of Representatives and awaits a Senate vote, would expand nationwide protections for LGBTQ+ people in employment and housing, and would ban such discrimination in other aspects of life including education, credit, jury service, federal funding, housing, and public accommodations. Most states -- 29 -- lack these protections, although a vast majority of Americans, 70 percent, support the legislation, according to recent polling from Hart Research.

"We are seeing growing support from business leaders because they understand that the Equality Act is good for their employees, good for their businesses and good for our country," said Alphonso Davis, president of the Human Rights Campaign, which reported the news of the Business Coalition's growth in a release.

"Employers care about their employees' ability to rent an apartment, send their kids to school, visit the dentist, and pick up the groceries free from discrimination," he added. "They realize that when LGBTQ employees and their family members are protected in their daily lives, it makes them more secure and confident in their jobs, and also more productive. Thank you to every company that is speaking up and advocating for the passage of the Equality Act. It's time for the Senate to listen to the business community and the public and pass this long overdue legislation."