NEWSLGBT BUSINESS

Pressure is mounting on Apple to remove their online store from the “Christian Values Network” (CVN.org), after several other companies remove their stores this week, including Macy's, Delta Airlines, BBC America, and Wells Fargo. CVN is used as a fundraising tool by several anti-gay, anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.

More than 19,000 people have signed Western Washington University student Ben Crowther’s Change.org petition asking Apple to remove their online store.

Crowther is no stranger to anti-gay bullying. It started in high school when he and his boyfriend were only the second gay couple to come out to their classmates. “The harassment got so bad I had to go the principal,” Crowther told Change.org.

In college, Crowther's dorm room door was regularly vandalized with anti-gay slurs. “I no longer live in the dorms because the bullying was so bad,” he said.

“I applaud Macy's and other corporations for stepping up and removing their stores from CVN," said Crowther. "I don’t think Apple realizes how problematic it is that they are supporting organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council by keeping their iTunes store on CVN."

Ben is optimistic about the support his petition is receiving. “I’m really encouraged by how many people have signed my petition on Change.org. I hope this is just an oversight on Apple’s part, and that my petition will bring this issue to Apple’s attention.”

Macy's joined a growing list of companies backing away from the "Christian Values Network" (CVN) after learning anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council are using CVN.org to raise money.

When asked why Macy's removed their store from CVN.org, a Macy's spokesperson told Change.org, "Macy's serves a diverse society.  As such, we are deeply committed to a philosophy of inclusion in the way we operate our business and support our communities," they said. "We welcome all customers into our stores."

Western Washington University Student and Apple Customers Ben Crowther is asking Apple to remove iTunes from the list of stores on CVN because CVN allows  anti-gay and anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family, and the Family Research Council to raise money on their site. Ben's Change.org petition has more than 5,000 signatures.

A growing list of companies are rejecting anti-gay hate by leaving CVN. Delta, Wells Fargo, BBC America, and Microsoft have all removed their ads from CVN.

Pressure is increasing on Apple to remove their online store from the “Christian Values Network” (CVN), after several other corporations have removed their stores this week. More than 3,500 people have signed Western Washington University student Ben Crowther’s Change.org petition to Apple. CVN is used as a fundraising tool by several anti-gay, anti-women organizations like Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.

Late Thursday, the Wells Fargo and Delta Airlines online stores were removed from CVN. Prior to removing their store, Wells Fargo was offering up to $300 to the religious charity of the shopper’s choice, money that could be donated to “Focus on the Family” or the Family Research Council. Delta offered $3.00 per ticket.

Jessica Beavers, a spokesperson for Wells Fargo told Change.org. “Occasionally team members may act on their own to place ads on various sites that do not meet Wells Fargo’s brand and marketing standards.”

“We requested the removal of this ad because it was not compliant with Wells Fargo’s brand and marketing standers,” Beavers said.

When asked if this was a reaction to Wells Fargo’s brand being used to raise money for the anti-gay “Focus on the Family” and the Southern Poverty Law Center identified “known hate group”, the Family Research Council, Jessica Beavers reiterated, “We have really strong and tight marketing standards. We have compliance standards in place and any time we see those violated we ask the site to remove our brand.”

Beavers continued, “Wells Fargo has very clear policies in place to support our LGBT team members and the LGBT community. In 2011, Wells Fargo was ranked number 2 in Diversity Inc’s list of top 10 companies for LGBT employees.”

She also mentioned Wells Fargo’s 100% HRC Corporate Equality Index score. Which she said Wells Fargo was, “very proud of.”