Hallmark should've known anti-LGBTQ bigotry was wrong from the get-go

The Daily Beast

The cable channel's decision to pull four Zola ads showing brides kissing after complaints by the conservative group One Million Moms, then reverse its decision, may be a consequence of Hallmark having very little diversity," says Tim Teeman. "The point isn’t that Hallmark eventually did the right thing; it’s that they should never have done the wrong thing—and capitulated to One Million Moms’ prejudice—in the first place," Teeman adds. "This isn’t about 'hurt' and 'disappointment,' it’s about standing up to bigotry. Hallmark shouldn’t have done the right thing only after an online backlash against their decision to terminate Zola’s advertising. That this was a controversy in the first place is both ridiculous and an indictment of corporate ignorance. A major company in 2019, which supposedly values diversity and inclusion, should not need to be protested. They should be standing up for LGBTQ people, their rights and equality, anyway. LGBTQ people should feature in Hallmark’s programming to such an extent that protests by groups like One Million Moms sound as meaningless as they deserve to be."

ALSO:

• Zola hadn't heard from Hallmark as of Monday, but the wedding planning website says it has run same-sex ads before on Hallmark Channel without controversy
• Stephen Colbert mocks Hallmark with Christmas films featuring hardcore heterosexual themes