Google opposed California Proposition 8

Google takes a stand on gay marriage, or rather support gay marriage.

Google has filed an amicus brief in several legal challenges to Proposition 8, which make gay marriage illegal in California.

The company argues that it has many gay, lesbian and bi-sexual employees and many come to work for the company because they can get married in California. If those marriages are annulled then the company says it would lose key talent and be placed at a competitive disadvantage.

Google also argues that if proposition 8 is allowed to stand it will cause huge problems internally with payment systems. Health insurance, tax benefits and taxation systems based on the current recognition of gay marriage would have to be reorganised, at considerable cost.

Proposition 8 was a California ballot proposition in the November 4, 2008, general election. It changed the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples and eliminated same-sex couples' right to marry, thereby overriding portions of the ruling of In re Marriage Cases.

The measure added a new section (7.5) to Article I, which reads: Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. California's State Constitution put the measure into immediate effect on November 5, 2008, the day after the election. The proposition did not affect domestic partnerships in California.

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