Frustrated with the options offered by mainstream greeting card
companies, Chicagoan Emily Belden launched her own greeting card
company that speaks directly to the LGBT community.
“My gay friend was one of the first to get married after DOMA
died,” Belden told Chicagoist.
“My option was to send him a greeting card clearly meant for a
straight couple or send nothing at all. So I sent nothing at all.”
Belden launched HappyHappyGayGay.com as marriage for gay and
lesbian couples has gone nationwide, at least in terms of federal
recognition.
The cards cost $5 each. Well-wishers can print the cards at home
or send them in an email. A portion of sales benefit the Trevor
Project, the California-based organization dedicated to preventing
suicide among LGBT teens.
“Growing up, I had a lot of friends who could have been a
Trevor,” said Belden, a 27-year-old author. “I have virtually no
overhead on the production of these cards, so I thought why not give
a cut to a foundation? My hope is that teaming up with a charitable
cause persuades people to get their cards locally from my site rather
than one of those sucky, generic cards from Hallmark.”
(On the Net: HappyHappyGayGay.com.)