The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, has criticized the Hallmark
Channel for pulling an ad featuring a lesbian couple on their wedding
day.
The ad from online wedding registry
Zola.com shows a lesbian couple exchanging vows and later kissing
after exchanging vows. The commercial began airing on the channel on
December 2.
Christian conservative group One
Million Moms criticized the network for the ad and for saying that it
was “open” to producing movies with same-sex couples.
“One Million Moms is asking Hallmark
to stay true to its family friendly roots that so many families have
grown to love, and to keep sex and sexual content – including the
promotion of homosexuality – out of its programming,” the group
wrote. “Please sign our petition asking Hallmark to do what is
right and reject airing movies and commercials with LGBT content!”
In a statement giving to The New
York Times, a Hallmark Channel spokesperson said that the
Zola.com ad was removed because it violated the network's standards.
“The decision not to air overt public
displays of affection in our sponsored advertisement, regardless of
the participants, is in line with our current policy, which includes
not featuring political advertisements, offensive language, R-rated
movie content and many other categories,” the spokesperson said.
However, the network continues to air
other Zola.com ads featuring heterosexual couples.
In an open letter to Hallmark, HRC
called on executives to reconsider.
“In pulling Zola.com's ad, which
featured a same-sex couple, you have failed the LGBTQ community and
all of your customers,” HRC wrote.
“By caving into the wants of a
hateful group, you have worked to erase LGBTQ people from television
screens across the country. The message that sends about LGBTQ
families is dangerous and wrong. On behalf of the Human Rights
Campaign, I urge you to reconsider your decision to pull this ad.”