Posted on 05/02/2014 2:26:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
When it comes to inclusion and equal treatment of LBGT employees, Toyota is at the top of the list. And it helps that the majority of Toyota employees live in a tolerant state like California. But could that change when the company's U.S. headquarters move to Texas in a few years?
Toyota is moving 5,300 employees from California (and some in New York and Kentucky) to Plano, Texas, a move Texas welcomed with open arms and an open pocketbook. It'll serve as a devastating blow to Torrance, Calif., who was apparently blindsided by the news.
By all accounts, Plano seems to be your average, bland, subdivision-laden corporate town. (It's also the home of JCPenney's headquarters!) I asked your Texan Jalops, Matt and Patrick, for their best summations of Plano, and all I got was "wealthy and conservative." But while not as exciting as, say, Dallas, it's worth nothing that Texas' ninth-largest city regularly appears on best-of lists when it comes to standards of living.
Seems like it would be a smooth transition, since Torrance is pretty suburban itself. But as Richard Read at GayWheels points out, it could be a culture shock for however many gay employees there are at Toyota — and if it's at all reflective of the auto industry as a whole, there might be many — who might not be as welcome in a state that has an anti-sodomy law on the books, allows landlords to discriminate against gay couples and doesn't recognize same-sex marriage.
That's a sea change from liberal California, which not only recognizes but performs same-sex marriages. And while I wouldn't be too worried about an archaic anti-sodomly law, it is possible a landlord could turn away (or evict, if found out) a couple, since the same anti-discriminatory Housing and Urban Development laws that protect gay couples in federally assisted housing don't apply at the private level.
I emailed a Toyota spokesman about what safeguards the company has in place for gay employees, and here's what I got back: "Toyota has a number of affinity group organizations including one for our LGBT associates," he writes. "Diversity and inclusion is a priority for Toyota North America. We have assured our LGBT team members and associates who may move to Plano from Kentucky, California, and New York, that eligibility for Toyota partner health and welfare benefits will remain the same."
Our Toyota spokesman hinted as much as well. "While it is difficult to forecast state political changes, as GayWheels correctly notes, the majority of the move will take place late 2016 or 2017, and by that time some of the legal changes referenced are likely to have taken place," he writes.
So why Plano and not the more progressive Austin or Houston? "Quality of life was one of many considerations in choosing the site," he writes. But he notes that Toyota is offering travel expenses for employees and spouses to explore Plano and its surrounding areas before they move there to decide if it's the place for them.
Any Plano residents out there want to give the 411 on what life is really like?
That's all well and good on the corporate level, but what about Texas culture itself? Read points out that notoriously homophobic Gov. Rick Perry will no longer be in office when Toyota breaks ground in Plano (he's not running for re-election after this term), so a door could open to removing legislation that bars gay Texans from equal rights. Or we may just see the Supreme Court remove the last barriers to gay marriage.
Made me LOL...and you exposed both of our ages for remembering that bit from Carson!!!
As for the author’s perceived problem for those who identify themselves by who they choose for sex partners, I’d say they should remember Gunny in Fully Metal Jacket: Only two things come from Texas - steers and queers!!
F—K Gawker media and all the eunuchs that work for it.
You talking about Pleasant Grove (what a misnomer.)?
No personal income tax, but the business income tax is disguised as a "franchise tax."
I moved from Texas to California in 1976 when I was 17 so I know how hot it can get but the homes we lived in always seemed to have air conditioning.
I hate living in California everything is so expensive and the housing is outrageous.
My husband was laid off in November and if he does not find a job in the next month or so we will have to move because we will no longer be able to afford to live here.
What kind of work does he do? Maybe FReepmail me his resume and I can find him something here.
Take a map such as google and look at the city limits of Plano. There is very
little land equating to the acreage they are talking of purchasing that isn’t
developed. Most lies on the west side of Plano along the western boundary. Now
they may be talking Plano as a generic area and in truth maybe somewhere outside
of the city limits.
Not to worry. They can always quit their jobs and go work at Starbucks.
Evidently this person has never heard of the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, AKA San Francisco on the Buffalo Bayou.
Texas should be worried about a bunch of democrat-voting individuals moving in.
I love Texans, would live there if it wasn’t for the weather. They are friendly and mind their own business, like all decent people. It is liberals that will get in your face and have a hissy fit because they see you eating meat or setting up a manger on public property.
Video/Mobile game producer. He has about 20 yrs experience and has worked for 3 companies.
Sega
Nokia
Namco Bandai Games
Nokia actually aquired his department at Sega so basically he has had 2 positions.
He has had interviews but is still looking and has now started looking at Project or Product manager positions because he has that experience as well.
Humor that has a large grain of truth in it. If there are a lot of them in Texas, then I am pretty sure that most of that number are in Austin. I’d have a hard time tossing a rock in this town and not tagging one. I never really get used to it - especially when I see an innocent child being forced to play the roll of son or daughter to a pair of them.
First of all, those that want the full homosexual experience should probably move to Oak Lawn and do a reverse commute up the Tollway. The up-and-coming area across the river would be a more difficult commute. Either of those options would ensure that they have the protections of a Lesbian sheriff for their homes.
Second, Perry should be replaced by a conservative by the time Toyota completes the move.
I assume most employees will be getting roughly a 10% raise just from not paying the Cal income tax.
If you are talking about the Toyota development, it’s northeast of the J C Penney building, on the vacant land basically in the southwest corner of the Dallas Tollway and the Sam Rayburn (121) toll road. It’s part of the old Perot Legacy development. The old Kinko’s (now FedEx something or other) is going in just west of it, also on the J.C. Penney headquarters property.
At the rate JCP is imploding, that’s some office space that should be available soon....
Ha ... my mother (married to a Texan) said that the only good thing to come out of Texas was I-10.
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