GROCERY LIST

7 Companies Anti-Gay Groups Are Boycotting (And You Should Be Buying From)

The subject of boycotts has come a lot lately: Last weekend, Oreo angered anti-gay groups like One Million Moms by posting a fairly innocuous message on Facebook that invited everyone to “proudly support love.” Of course to OMM that was tantamount to stamping “marriage equality now” on Chewy Chips Ahoy:

Oreo (Kraft Foods) is joining others in supporting Gay Pride. This month is LBGT Pride month and only time will tell if Oreo’s support will continue. The company announced its support for same sex marriage on the Oreo Cookie Facebook page with a picture of a rainbow version of their famous cookie. Oreo’s Facebook thread read, “Proudly Support Love!” with a graphic that read “June 25| Pride”.

The cookie maker is quick to point out that the picture is simply an ad, and doesn’t depict a true product. But it announced to American consumers where it stands on the controversial “gay” marriage issue nonetheless. Homosexuals are weighing in, hoping Oreo makes the fake cookie real.

Kraft just posted a rainbow Oreo and said “support love.” We didn’t see anything about marriage anywhere. Let that be a reminder: Whenever anyone says they’re fine with LGBT people, they just don’t want to “redefine” their precious institution, they really mean they don’t want us to exist. Everything else is just a smokescreen.

Aaaaanyway, this all got us thinking about how recently some corporations have put themselves in the crosshairs just by acknowledging we’re part of their customer base. So instead of telling you which companies and stores to boycott, we thought we’d mention some corporations that are standing by the LGBT community—and getting flak for it.

Click through to find out which companies the  homophobic activist groups are boycotting  (and why you should make it your business to give them your business).

 

JCPenney

JCPenny ticked off One Million Moms by hiring Ellen DeGeneres, who apparently is some kind of open lesbian person, as a spokesperson. OMM called for a boycott, warning that “JCP’s freefall should serve as a warning to other companies before they decide to cater to homosexuals and their sinful lifestyle choices.”

They claim the boycott’s working—that it’s responsible for the departure of president Michael Francis and for sluggish sales in the company’s first quarter.

It’s more likely JCP was doing poorly and thought hiring the most beloved entertainment personality in America today would help. But OMM claims “this loss should tell companies that siding with radical homosexuals has its price.” Yeah, “radical” is not one of the words most people associate with Ellen.

At any rate, JCP stood up to the boycott and stood behind the affable talk-show host—and included some gay friendly ads for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  So show you’re behind Penney by shopping there.

What to get: A shower curtain. That old one is tired anyway, and they’ve got a cute Star Burst Floral Azure Fabric Shower Curtain for just $22. Splurge and get a new liner, too. That old one has black crap on it and you know you’re never gonna clean it.

Archie Comics

If you follow comic books, then you may know that Archie Comics has been breaking new ground lately with Kevin Keller, a gay character who has joined the Riverdale gang a few years back—and has even gotten his own series. In Life with Archie #16, a story set in the future, Kevin is a war hero who marries his African-American boyfriend.

As you can imagine, the American Family Association had a seizure over the whole thing. They called for a boycott against Archie Comics (and Toys R Us for carrying the issue).

Archie Comics was not having it. CEO Jon Goldwater stated:

“We stand by Life with Archie #16. As I’ve said before, Riverdale is a safe, welcoming place that does not judge anyone. It’s an idealized version of America that will hopefully become reality someday.

We’re sorry the American Family Association/OneMillionMoms.com feels so negatively about our product, but they have every right to their opinion, just like we have the right to stand by ours. Kevin Keller will forever be a part of Riverdale and he will live a happy, long life free of prejudice, hate and narrow-minded people.”

Burn!

But let’s face it: The print-media business is hurtin’, and even the handful of yahoos who burned their copies of Betty & Veronica did some damage. So go to your local nerd den and balance the scales.

What to buy:  The hardcover Kevin Keller graphic novel (which includes Kevin’s miniseries and his debut issue, Veronica #202) and a subscription to the Kevin Keller comic.

 

Starbucks

Trouble started brewing when the Seattle-based coffee company came out in support of marriage equality in Washington State: The National Organization for Marriage announced a Dump Starbucks campaign in March. (One moron took it literally and bought a coffee, then poured it into the gutter. Poor idiot.)  Not only is the ban failing, it’s backfiring: SumOfUs got well over 550,000 people to sign its retaliatory “Thank You, Starbucks” card, as compared to the paltry 45,230 who signed NOM’s petition.

After being questioned by a NOM lackey, an eloquent Starbucks spokesman replied: “To be candid with you, it was not something that was a difficult decision for us. [Applause.] We made that decision through the lens of humanity and being the company that embraces diversity.”

This one isn’t even a request—you’re going to Starbucks anyway. Now at least you know that $5.75 for an iced mocha is going toward supporting an ally.

What to buy: A pound of Starbucks Indivisible blend, proceeds from which benefit the Create Jobs for USA fund. Stop by on the Fourth of July, when Starbucks nationwide will be serving everyone a free tall hot brewed coffee.

Ugh, can we get that iced?

EA Games

Who woulda thunk homophobes were lurking around MMOGs? Apparently The Family Research Council and the Florida Family Association (FFA) have a bone to pick with EA, which has included queer characters, romances and plotlines in games likes Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3.

As Forbes.com puts it “[FFA’s] anti-EA campaign reads like satire:

Will the makers of Star Wars video games create Darth VaPaula, a (mock) transgender version of Darth Vader – RuPaul, for kids to choose as their action character?

While we are living for the idea of RuPaul in a Star Wars game, “Darth VaPaula” is the dumbest thing we’ve heard this millennium. (This is the kind of humor you get when you ban gay people.)

Activist group AllOut decided to thank EA for fighting the Dark Side with a petition that has garnered more than 68,000 signatures.

But aside from the professional bigots, there’s been also a lot of hate mail and viciously homophobic comments spewed as a result of EA creating more inclusive, realistic universes. These players are put out by the fact, that somewhere in there virtual world, two aliens of the same gender may be getting it on, even if they never have to interact with them.

What you should by: Mass Effect 3. It’s got a same-sex-romance option and we hear it’s pretty rad. Or, y’know, you could buy The Sims 3: Katy Perry’s Sweet Treats. (Eek!)

 

General Mills

Earlier in June, General Mills spit up its Wheaties when it heard Minnesota was grappling with a marriage-equality ban. The Fortune 500 company announced its opposition, which got NOM and the AFA in the mood for one of their old-fashioned boycotts. Like you can stare down Betty Crocker and win.

What to buy: What not to buy? In addition to the aforementioned Betty Crocker, General Mills owns Green Giant, Haagen-Daz, Pillsbury, Yoplait, Macaroni Grill, Hamburger Helper, Progresso and Bisquick, just to name a few. Grab the Sunday paper, see what they have coupons for, and go crazy!

 

The Home Depot

In May, the American Family Association dropped off more than 25,000 signatures to Home Depot chairman Frank Blake during a shareholders meeting, protesting the company’s support for LGBT Pride parades nationwide. The AFA basically claimed the home-improvement chain was helping queers build Sodom and Gomorrah on the town square:

“For several years, The Home Depot has given its financial and corporate support to open displays of homosexual activism on main streets in America’s towns. Rather than remain neutral in the culture war, The Home Depot has chosen to sponsor and participate in numerous gay pride parades and festivals.

Most grievous is The Home Depot’s deliberately exposing small children to lascivious displays of sexual conduct by homosexuals and cross-dressers, which are a common occurrence at these events.”

Blake responded, “We are, and will remain, committed to a culture that fosters an inclusive environment for our associates, our customers and communities in which we exist.” But the boycott pledge is barely a month old, so we want to stop it in its tracks.

What to buy: A $50 gift card for your favorite lesbian couple. Then they can buy some decent patio furniture and invite you over for cocktails.

 

Girl Scouts of the USA

If Indiana Republican Bob Morris is to believed, a Girl Scout troop meeting is like a witch’s coven in old Salem, but instead of spells, den mothers teach Brownies how to cross dress and wear strap-ons. And apparently, the Girl Scouts is the secret benefactor of Planned Parenthood, that horrible communist cabal dedicated to forcing  girls to get abortions.

Many parents are abandoning the Girl Scouts because they promote homosexual lifestyles. In fact, the Girl Scouts education seminar girls are directed to study the example of role models. Of the fifty role models listed, only three have a briefly-mentioned religious background —all the rest are feminists, lesbians, or Communists.

These jackasses have even brainwashed little girls into preaching their brand of ignorance and hate.

Just for the fact that bigots like Morris don’t want us to support the Girl Scouts, we should. But on top of  that the GS doesn’t discriminate against homosexual or trans members—unlike those dingleberries in the Boy Scouts.

What to buy: Cookies, duh! Snap up a few boxes of Samoas, Thin Mints and Tagalongs. Ooh, and try the new Savannah Smiles.

 

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