Global LGBTQIA+ Employee & Allies at Microsoft (formerly Gay and Lesbian Employees At Microsoft[1]) (GLEAM) refers to the Microsoft employee resource group comprising LGBTQIA+ employees along with straight allies.[2] GLEAM originated as a private mailing list during the 1980s. Members of the list successfully campaigned for sexual orientation to be added to Microsoft's anti-discriminationpolicy in 1989. In 1997, group leaders pointed out that anti-gay actions had occurred, but "overt bias is extremely rare."[3]
Gay pride flag flying in front of the Sammamish campus
GLEAM also lobbied for Microsoft to offer insurance and other benefits to same-sex domestic partners. Lobbying intensified after Lotus software offered these benefits to its workers.[3] Microsoft added this benefit in 1993.[4]
GLEAM became more formally organized in 1993 under Microsoft's Diversity Advisory Council, along with Blacks at Microsoft (BAM), the women's group – known as Hoppers – and other similar groups.[4]
More recently, the group influenced Microsoft to add gender identity and expression to its anti-discrimination policies in April 2005 and, in 2006, to progressively extend health coverage benefits to cover transgender care. Since this time, the Human Rights Campaign has Microsoft's Corporate Equality Index rating – a set of metrics to measure a company's compliance with its goals of gender identity neutrality in the workplace – to 100%.[5]
GLEAM also pushed to secure Microsoft's support of gay rights legislation in Washington state. During legislative hearings on Washington's H.B. 1515 bill, which would extend the state's current anti-discrimination laws to people with alternate sexual orientations, two Microsoft employees testified as private citizens on behalf of the legislation. A conservative religious group took this to mean Microsoft was actively supporting the legislation as an organization and demanded the company reverse its support.
In an April 22, 2005 e-mail, company CEO Steve Ballmer explained to Microsoft employees that earlier in the year, the company had decided to focus its lobbying efforts on issues more directly related to its core business (e.g., computer privacy). In the same e-mail, he affirmed the company's commitment to diversity and encouraged individual shareholders to get involved in the issue, but said that no one on either side should represent themselves as speaking for the company.
In response, seven days later, the GLEAM board of directors sent an e-mail that proposed, with specific timelines, various steps that Microsoft should take in order to repair its public image and the "lack of trust" created by the Ballmer e-mail on April 22. Among the proposals was that Microsoft should acknowledge its neutral position was a mistake (including a proposed press release and a seven-day suggested timeframe for the dissemination of the release) and partner with GLEAM as "subject matter experts" in reaching out to the LGBT community, beginning with a sixty-day "intense outreach" period. Meanwhile, a petition of employees asking Microsoft to support the bill topped 1700 signatures.[citation needed]
The bill was passed in the subsequent legislative session (2006) under the leadership of gay legislator, Rep. Ed Murray (D) of the 43rd legislative district and after the defection of Republican State Senator, Bill Finkbeiner, who subsequently retired and whose seat was captured by Democrat and Microsoft alumnus, Eric Oemig. During the 2006 elections, voters of the 43rd legislative district also elevated Rep. Ed Murray to the Washington State Senate.
On September 15, 2009, Microsoft publicly announced its support for Referendum 71 to protect Washington State Domestic Partnerships.[6]
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GLEAM redirects here For other uses see Gleam disambiguation Global LGBTQIA Employee amp Allies at Microsoft formerly Gay and Lesbian Employees At Microsoft 1 GLEAM refers to the Microsoft employee resource group comprising LGBTQIA employees along with straight allies 2 GLEAM originated as a private mailing list during the 1980s Members of the list successfully campaigned for sexual orientation to be added to Microsoft s anti discrimination policy in 1989 In 1997 group leaders pointed out that anti gay actions had occurred but overt bias is extremely rare 3 Gay pride flag flying in front of the Sammamish campusGLEAM also lobbied for Microsoft to offer insurance and other benefits to same sex domestic partners Lobbying intensified after Lotus software offered these benefits to its workers 3 Microsoft added this benefit in 1993 4 GLEAM became more formally organized in 1993 under Microsoft s Diversity Advisory Council along with Blacks at Microsoft BAM the women s group known as Hoppers and other similar groups 4 More recently the group influenced Microsoft to add gender identity and expression to its anti discrimination policies in April 2005 and in 2006 to progressively extend health coverage benefits to cover transgender care Since this time the Human Rights Campaign has Microsoft s Corporate Equality Index rating a set of metrics to measure a company s compliance with its goals of gender identity neutrality in the workplace to 100 5 Contents 1 Washington state gay rights legislation 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksWashington state gay rights legislation editGLEAM also pushed to secure Microsoft s support of gay rights legislation in Washington state During legislative hearings on Washington s H B 1515 bill which would extend the state s current anti discrimination laws to people with alternate sexual orientations two Microsoft employees testified as private citizens on behalf of the legislation A conservative religious group took this to mean Microsoft was actively supporting the legislation as an organization and demanded the company reverse its support In an April 22 2005 e mail company CEO Steve Ballmer explained to Microsoft employees that earlier in the year the company had decided to focus its lobbying efforts on issues more directly related to its core business e g computer privacy In the same e mail he affirmed the company s commitment to diversity and encouraged individual shareholders to get involved in the issue but said that no one on either side should represent themselves as speaking for the company In response seven days later the GLEAM board of directors sent an e mail that proposed with specific timelines various steps that Microsoft should take in order to repair its public image and the lack of trust created by the Ballmer e mail on April 22 Among the proposals was that Microsoft should acknowledge its neutral position was a mistake including a proposed press release and a seven day suggested timeframe for the dissemination of the release and partner with GLEAM as subject matter experts in reaching out to the LGBT community beginning with a sixty day intense outreach period Meanwhile a petition of employees asking Microsoft to support the bill topped 1700 signatures citation needed The bill was passed in the subsequent legislative session 2006 under the leadership of gay legislator Rep Ed Murray D of the 43rd legislative district and after the defection of Republican State Senator Bill Finkbeiner who subsequently retired and whose seat was captured by Democrat and Microsoft alumnus Eric Oemig During the 2006 elections voters of the 43rd legislative district also elevated Rep Ed Murray to the Washington State Senate On September 15 2009 Microsoft publicly announced its support for Referendum 71 to protect Washington State Domestic Partnerships 6 See also editLGBT employees at Google GLIFAA organization representing LGBT persons in U S foreign affairs agencies and entities Microsoft s pride pageReferences edit HelloPride We re everybody s company Microsoft Life Life 2016 06 30 Retrieved 2020 08 06 Inside Microsoft Global Diversity and Inclusion at Microsoft Microsoft Retrieved 2 April 2023 a b The Advocate Gay and lesbian at Microsoft March 4 1997 by Sally J Clark Findarticles com Archived from the original on February 19 2006 Retrieved December 3 2013 a b Official GLEAM page Microsoft 2013 11 07 Archived from the original on 2011 12 09 Retrieved 2013 12 03 HRC HRC Retrieved 2020 11 27 Holden Dominic 2009 09 14 The SLOG on Microsoft support of Ref71 Slog thestranger com Retrieved 2013 12 03 External links edit nbsp LGBT portalBusinessWeek How Microsoft Changed Its Mind Copies of the correspondence over H B 1515 Microsoft Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Employees at Microsoft Approve Referendum 71 Xbox designer accuses Microsoft of homophobia nbsp This article related to Microsoft is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Global LGBTQIA 2B Employee 26 Allies at Microsoft amp oldid 1197845203, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
