Hallmark has released a batch of videos ahead of Mother’s Day asking people talking about their moms — all saying good things, we hope. One clip that caught our eye shows Alex, a transgender man, showering love on his super-mom Pam. It’s pretty damn sweet.
But it’s also more than just sweet. Kudos to Hallmark for actively expanding the definition of a “Hallmark moment” to include LGBT stories. While it remains incredible that honoring experiences outside the norm (whatever that is) is considered political, such is the reality.
Related: Hallmark Goes For The Gay In Adorable New Advertisement
And overcoming any prejudiced viewpoint starts with familiarity — how many right-wingers suddenly had a “change of heart” about same-sex marriage after their son or daughter came out?
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Hallmark doesn’t stand to gain a whole lot by sharing Alex’s feelings for his mama, but they’ve got the right idea to appeal to the emotions of those who stumble upon the video — love is love.
UPDATE: Queerty learned that Alex works at the Los Angeles LGBT Center soAfter his video went viral we contacted him for a statement about the response. “I am in awe of the positive responses the commercial has received,” he said. “My mom and I decided to participate to help show the world that strong and healthy relationships exist between parents and their LGBT children. I hope this commercial reinforces or helps expand people’s beliefs that love transcends all things. Transgender people are just like everyone else: we all want to love and be loved.”
Watch below, and don’t forget to call your mother:
Jacob23
It’s a well done ad. It is interesting that Alex says “I was born a girl.” I thought that last year Janet Mock angrily declared that this phrase was “transphobic.” Even though it was later revealed that Mock had used the phrase “I was born a boy” in a prior writing, that didn’t stop Mock and other trans activists from attacking Piers Morgan, a gracious, sympathetic interviewer, for saying it.
So I wonder whether trans activists will now go after Alex as they did Piers Morgan. My guess is they will not. Because the phrase isn’t “transphobic” and trans activists never really were offended by it. They just needed something new to make themselves feel victimized that week.
Clark35
Alex is biologically, genetically, and physiologically female and always will be. She will never have a penis or actually be male.
Exactly Jacob, trans activists get angry if you don’t think of them as a “cis man” or “cis woman” or whatever nonsense they want, and then get mad if you don’t point out that they’re trans.