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Why Bud Light Is Publicly Supporting Marriage Equality

With the Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in two separate cases about marriage equality this week, one of America’s most iconic companies is joining the fight. One of the popular ways Americans displayed support for equality was by posting a picture of an equal sign inside a red box on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, and Bud Light did the same, posting this picture to its Facebook page yesterday:

Bud Light’s support for equality isn’t unique in the American business community. NPR reported Monday that 278 businesses had signed on to a brief asking the Supreme Court to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, including recognizable companies like Nike, Apple, Starbucks, and Citigroup. Not a single company filed briefs arguing that DOMA was good for business.

DOMA and the lack of equal marriage rights prohibit same-sex couples from taking advantage tax breaks and spousal benefits that are available to married couples. That hurts individuals and the larger economy, and for businesses, it hurts their bottom lines and impedes efforts to foster more inclusive work environments. As Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein argued, restrictions like DOMA mean people “can’t move around, they’re unhappy, and we can’t attract a whole set of very talented people.” Bud Light is just the latest brand to realize that equality is good for business.

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