The Hallmark Channel is learning the hard way once when you bow to the liberal LGBTQ mob, there’s no satiating the beast.
Hence, the very real possibility that next year’s line up may feature the introduction of gay movies on the network.
Swept up in a controversy of its own making when the network chose to air an ad featuring two lesbian women kissing to celebrate a same-sex marriage, the Hallmark Channel first heard from the right, and after reacting to those concerns, from the left.
The initial reaction from Hallmark was to remove the ad from Zola.com., a wedding planning and registry company, after a petition was launched by the conservative group One Million Moms calling on the television network “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 expected push back on the left ensued, and Hallmark, which is owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., flip-flopped, backtracking from their decision to pull same-sex marriage commercials.
“The Crown Media team has been agonizing over this decision as we’ve seen the hurt it has unintentionally caused,” Hallmark Cards CEO Mike Perry said in a statement. “Said simply, they believe this was the wrong decision. We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused.”
Perry said the commercial will be reinstated, if Zola is on board, and in a further sign of total capitulation, added that they will be “working with GLAAD to better represent the LGBTQ community.”
“Across our brand, we will continue to look for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate our differences,” Perry said.
Sarah Kate Ellis, the president of the gay advocacy group, was only too glad to dance on the proverbial grave of One Million Moms.
“The Hallmark Channel’s decision to correct its mistake sends an important message to LGBTQ people,” Ellis stated, “and represents a major loss for fringe organizations, like One Million Moms.”
With reactionary leadership such as this, where the latest whims appear to dictate the direction Hallmark takes, the LGBTQ mob smelled blood in the water.
Enter the “pro-LGBTQ” entertainment outlet Indiewire, which is insisting Hallmark make a gay movie to prove where its loyalty really lies, according to Newsbusters.
“You’ve already bent the knee, Hallmark, but you’re going to have to kiss the rainbow ring,” wrote Newsbuster’s Gabriel Hays.
A column by Indiewire.com’s Jude Dry — Hays uses the pronoun “him” to describe Dry, who prefers the pronouns “they/them/theirs,” according to their Twitter account (truth be told, it’s unclear what their actual gender is) — is cited. The piece declared that Hallmark “apologized for pulling commercials showing a lesbian wedding, but a movie featuring a same-sex couple would have a greater impact.”
“[If] Hallmark really wants to make an impact and show the LGBTQ community its commitment to inclusivity, it should greenlight an LGBTQ script ASAP,” Dry wrote.
They noted that the company’s greeting card arm already features a robust offering of LGBTQ-friendly holiday cards, but added that the Hallmark Channel “has never featured a same-sex couple in a main storyline.”
Given that we’ve seen this script play out before — see Chick-fil-A — where Hallmark runs the risk of being tagged in the media as “anti-LGBTQ,” it’s likely just a matter of time before the network airs its first gay movie.
Perhaps by next Christmas, we’ll see a gay Santa delivering his own special brand of goodies for tv audiences everywhere.
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The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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