LGBT

GLAAD fights One Million Moms over JC Penney hiring Ellen DeGeneres

by Craig Takeuchi on February 2nd, 2012 at 2:47 PM
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      JC Penney is facing the wrath of One Million Moms.

      Well, there aren't actually one million mothers. But they're working on it. One Million Moms is the name of an activist project of the American Family Association, a conservative Christian organization which was founded by a First United Methodist Church pastor.

      What's got their panties literally in a knot is that retailer JC Penney announced on January 25 that they chose one of America's most congenial TV personalities, Ellen DeGeneres, to be their spokesperson.

      The One Million Moms website states "Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of its customers are traditional families."

      In addition to hosting her own popular talk show, DeGeneres has been a Cover Girl and American Express spokesperson, an American Idol judge, and an Emmy and Academy Awards host. (She also happens to be a former JC Penney sales clerk.)

      There are countless straight stars who can't boast anything close to those bragging rights. But all those achievements somehow don't seem to mean a thing to One Million Moms who focus on one fact: that she's an out lesbian.

      "Degeneres is not a true representation of the type of families who shop at the retailer," the One Million Moms website states. "The small percentage of customers they are attempting to satisfy will not offset their loss in sales by offending the majority."

      They're asking followers to call JC Penney to complain.

      However, the campaign has galvanized support for DeGeneres. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination launched the Stand Up for Ellen webpage with a petition in favour of DeGeneres. Over 15,000 people have signed the petition thus far. GLAAD is also asking queer community members, allies, DeGeneres fans, and more to call JC Penney to thank them and express their support.

      GLAAD has used this incident to point out that in 29 U.S. states, it is still legal to fire someone for being gay, and 34 states where it is still legal to fire someone for being transgender.

      Maybe DeGeneres' next gig can be acting as a spokesperson for Starbucks.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.

      Comments

      11 Comments

      Clover Roy

      Feb 2, 2012 at 5:45pm

      I think that the "One Million Moms" are a shameful group of haters.

      alemeh2

      Feb 2, 2012 at 6:15pm

      <--- have a " traditional" family and we love Ellen because she is KIND and a good person.

      dkee

      Feb 2, 2012 at 7:13pm

      I like Ellen and I don't see anything wrong with her being JC Penney's spokesperson. She is funny and down to earth and she does alot of good for people. I feel sorry for the members of "One Million Moms" and I will pray that they are more tolerant of others.

      LynnF

      Feb 2, 2012 at 7:25pm

      Stupid people shouldn't breed, apparently there are one million of them that already have....

      sickofbigots

      Feb 2, 2012 at 10:15pm

      One Million Moms should be renamed One Million Morons, seriously, Ellen actually has one of the most unoffensive shows on TV today, she really appeals to a wide range of viewers & like the other comments say she is a good, kind, down to earth person, & btw she doe's a lot of good work for various worthwhile groups :)

      Louise Frazier

      Feb 3, 2012 at 12:39am

      Sometimes I feel like we are back in the nineteenth century! Next thing you know these paragons of moral wisdom will be chiding women for showing their ankles in public! I love Ellen and I support her 100%! J. C. Penny has shown great taste in hiring this good woman to be their sponsor. As for the Million Mom Hen Squakers? May they quickly go the way of the horse and buggy. They are clearly not ready for this millennium.

      Ellen can live with it

      Feb 3, 2012 at 9:53am

      JCPenny however will have to see if their bottom line can.
      One of the things I like about Ellen is she is not afraid to be herself despite all the negative oppostion out there. Ellen is true to herself, therefore she is truth in itself. Live and let live or isn't that in the scriptures or perhaps a heart felt comedy skit done by no other than Ellen herself. If ever there was a need for laughter the time is now and I can see why the all so creative Ellen choice the career she did.

      Love

      Feb 3, 2012 at 11:03am

      There is so much more to a person than who they choose to love or express their love to. To define a human being from one aspect of the million different parts of a soul of a human being is so narrow-minded. Ellen is an extremely talented and loving human being who has injected love, joy, laughter and fun into the lives of millions of people. That is just tipping the iceberg as she has helped hundreds of thousands of children and donated hundreds of thousands of her own money to children in need. I would love to see one of the mother's who are against her to give one instance of the enormous generosity and self sacrifice Ellen has given in her life. I am am a heterosexual married mother, and I am so proud of the human being Ellen sets an example that we should strive to be. She is loving, and self-sacrificing and that is what we should all be to each other-no matter the gender of who we feel the most at peace hugging when we fall asleep. Every human being has feminine and male qualities to their soul-the way our physical body manifests is such a small part of who we are. I will continue to buy my son's clothes at JC Penny!:) I am thrilled that he will see the shining and joyful beautiful face of a woman who has given so much to children, smiling at him from the ads as we shop. ~Tirzah

      cranky mom

      Feb 3, 2012 at 2:10pm

      In the words of June Callwood. I don't believe in religon, I believe in kindness.

      I think JC Penny should distance themselves as quickly as possible from 1 million idiots. I guess they have marketing research that shows that ONLY heterosexual families shop at JC Penny?