Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Nordstom backs same-sex marriage referendum

Nordstrom

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Upscale department store chain Nordstrom Inc. has joined a number of Pacific Northwest businesses in expressing support for same-sex marriage.

The Seattle-based company sent out an email Thursday morning to its 56,000 employees, saying "is our belief that our gay and lesbian employees are entitled to the same rights and protections marriage provides under the law as all other employees."

The letter was signed by Nordstrom executives and brothers Blake, Pete and Erik Nordstrom.

Referendum 74, to be voted on next month, asks voters to either approve or reject a law passed earlier this year allowing gay marriage in Washington state. That law is on hold pending the November vote.

Nordstrom joins other companies that have publicly supported same-sex marriage, including Amazon, Microsoft Corp., Starbucks Corp. and Nike Inc.

The Associated Press (“AP”) is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. On any given day, more than half the world’s population sees news from the AP. Founded in 1846, the AP today is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering. The AP considers itself to be the backbone of the world’s information system, serving thousands of daily newspaper, radio, television, and online customers with coverage in text, photos, graphics, audio and video.