Macy’s Criticized By Anti-Gay Group For Gay-Friendly Catalog
A group that has ties with the American Family Association, a conservative anti-gay Christian organization, has criticized Macy's for a catalog that celebrates same-sex marriage.
The catalog, which customers receive via mail, shows a two-groom cake topper on top of a wedding cake. The cake is in the back of a car, which has a license plate that says, "I do."
The image does not appear in the department store's online catalog but the anti-gay group is still demanding Macy's get rid of the ad. The group also says that the retailer's support of same-sex marriage is "an irresponsible choice" that is "highly offensive and not family-friendly advertising."
"Just because gay marriage is legal in a few states does not mean this is appropriate marketing. As a conservative customer I will not support it," the group reportedly said.
"Macy's proudly serves a large and diverse marketplace, including customers with a wide range of needs and preferences," Macy's spokeswoman Beth Charlton told Fox News. "We strive to embrace customers of all ethnic backgrounds, ages, races, faith traditions, genders and lifestyles through the products we sell and the content of our marketing."
"Our goal is to be inclusive. Not everything we sell or do will appeal to everyone, but that is the nature of a free society where consumers can make choices of their own," she added.
Macy's was involved in a similar incident in December when it defended the rights of a transgender person, EDGE reported.
An employee of the San Antonio, Texas, department store was fired for discriminating against a transgender customer. The worker, Natalie Johnson, refused to let a transgender woman use the woman's dressing room because it "violated her religious beliefs."
The customer told Johnson about Macy's LGBT friendly policy and that she had a right to use the dressing room. The store's manager got involved and told Johnson she needed to comply with the story's policy and allow the customer to use the dressing room. Johnson still refused and once again cited her religious beliefs. Since she refused to comply with the store's regulations, the manger had to let Johnson go.