# JCPenny gay Father's day ad **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704 "2012-05-31T21:20:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/41 "2012-06-02T23:36:15Z")
Did FB kill the OMM page? I’ve read time and again that it’s nigh impossible to delete a page there, but if they want you off their site, you can bet that they’ll have a way to delete you… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/42 "2012-06-02T23:36:32Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I love that they did this but no gay man that I know would be caught dead wearing clothes from JC Penny. Well, maybe they’re supposed to buy clothes for their kids. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/43 "2012-06-03T06:48:32Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I love that they did this but no gay man that I know would be caught dead wearing clothes from JC Penny. Perhaps, but they are very gay-friendly to employees. In fact, my uncle told me they told him flat out that he was hired was because he was gay. And this was more than one JCP–he recently moved. Then again, my uncle is also not the stereotypical high fashion gay person. I am far more dressy than he is. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/44 "2012-06-03T07:44:51Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I love that they did this but no gay man that I know would be caught dead wearing clothes from JC Penny. I see. So now that they’re no longer being discriminated against, gays are better than us now? Thousands of Americans shop at JC Penney and we’re not ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/45 "2012-06-03T08:21:02Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > I see. So now that they’re no longer being discriminated against, gays are better than us now? Thousands of Americans shop at JC Penney and we’re not ashamed. I think in the fashion world, gays pretty much are considered better than you. It’s mostly meant humorously though. In real life I’m sure lots of gays shop at JCP. If they can find one still in business. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/46 "2012-06-03T14:42:08Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > I’m sorry if I sound like a snob, but not even a gay-friendly ad (why is that even a big deal?) would make me scout out a JCP. Considering how many times you’ve posted about your financial problems, perhaps you should learn to be a little less particular about where you shop for clothing. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/47 "2012-06-03T21:57:50Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > a gay-friendly ad (why is that even a big deal?) Because most companies would automatically exclude gay couples from their advertising? Because positive images of gay couples raising children leads to more people treating gay people as human beings? ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/48 "2012-06-03T23:59:00Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I think in the fashion world, gays pretty much are considered better than you. It’s mostly meant humorously though. In real life I’m sure lots of gays shop at JCP. There’s the hidden message right there. There are lots of my fellow homos out there that are fabulous and I love them for it. There are also thousands of us that are boring and drab as hell and okay with that. We are accountants, bakers, garbage collectors, we work in retail, in civil service and so many everyday un-fabulous parts of life that you wouldn’t be able to spot us with the most finely tuned gaydar… That’s me… Shopping right next to all of the “One Million Moms” at places like Sears, Penny’s, Wal-Mart and the like. I’m as boring and mundane as anyone and I will spend my money at places like J.C. Penny because they are going out of their way to send the message that I’m just as much a human being as the next schlub… ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/49 "2012-06-04T02:22:33Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > In real life I’m sure lots of gays shop at JCP. I certainly have. Thank Christ my talents weren’t wasted in fashion sense. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/50 "2012-06-04T02:53:03Z")
It’s a big deal because JCP knows that there’s a sizable fraction of the population who will be very upset about this ad, and that it will almost certainly lose them customers, and they did the right thing and ran it anyway. Oh, if you want to be cynical about it, there’s also a sizable fraction of the population who will be happy about the ad, and they’ll almost certainly gain some new customers, too. They might just be gambling that the latter category is more numerous than the former. But in that case, if they’re only doing the right thing because it’ll get them customers, then we should reward them by being customers, to encourage them (and other businesses) to do the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/51 "2012-06-04T02:54:23Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I think in the fashion world, gays pretty much are considered better than you. To the extent that that’s true, it’s just another shrewd aspect to this ad: it sends the subtle message that you, too, can be as snazzily dressed as a gay man. Me, I’ll keep shopping at Land’s End, because they’re cheap and fit short guys like me, and I’ll put my fancy-clothes-money into Banana Republic, because they’re snazzy and fit short guys like me. But I love this ad, as yet another watershed moment of US culture normalizing gay marriages. ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/52 "2012-06-04T04:00:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s a big deal because JCP knows that there’s a sizable fraction of the population who will be very upset about this ad, and that it will almost certainly lose them customers, and they did the right thing and ran it anyway. > > Oh, if you want to be cynical about it, there’s also a sizable fraction of the population who will be happy about the ad, and they’ll almost certainly gain some new customers, too. They might just be gambling that the latter category is more numerous than the former. But in that case, if they’re only doing the right thing because it’ll get them customers, then we should reward them by being customers, to encourage them (and other businesses) to do the right thing. If they made that calculation, I wouldn’t consider that “cynical”. I’d consider it really heartening. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/53 "2012-06-04T06:04:58Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Considering how many times you’ve posted about your financial problems, perhaps you should learn to be a little less particular about where you shop for clothing. I’m happy to report that I’ll never be on [peopleofwalmart.com](http://peopleofwalmart.com), thank you. And no, JCP having a print ad with two guys and kids is not going to make me shop there. I don’t even know where the nearest JCP is. > [@tim314](#): > > Because most companies would automatically exclude gay couples from their advertising? Because positive images of gay couples raising children leads to more people treating gay people as human beings? :smack: I mean, in this day and age, it shouldn’t be a big deal because it isn’t. Gay people aren’t a big deal. Or they shouldn’t be. The Million Moms are going to look [really stupid](http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/181889_571776235031_393752030_n.jpg) in a couple of decades. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/54 "2012-06-04T06:18:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It’s a big deal because JCP knows that there’s a sizable fraction of the population who will be very upset about this ad, and that it will almost certainly lose them customers, and they did the right thing and ran it anyway. > > Oh, if you want to be cynical about it, there’s also a sizable fraction of the population who will be happy about the ad, and they’ll almost certainly gain some new customers, too. They might just be gambling that the latter category is more numerous than the former. But in that case, if they’re only doing the right thing because it’ll get them customers, then we should reward them by being customers, to encourage them (and other businesses) to do the right thing. Reward them by being customers? Well, can they reward us by putting better clothes out on the shelves? I mean, Ellen is a spokesperson for Cover Girl and I’m not putting that glop on my face. And how do you know it’s not part of a PR trap? I mean, JCP has been trying to reinvent itself for years. How many of you boycotted JCP or Wendy’s when they pulled ads off of _Ellen_ after she came out? I’m not going to be more likely to support Corporation X because they have ads on tv about how they save the world or how they donate money to AIDS clinics in Africa. Guess I’m not really a ‘conscious consumer’. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/55 "2012-06-04T07:00:14Z")
The new CEO of JCP’s old boss is gay\*. I’m glad he’s taking a stand in line with his values and strongly sticking up for those who have been integral to his success. \*Ron Johnson used to be the head of retail at Apple before becoming CEO of JCP. Tim Cook, formerly COO of Apple, now CEO is openly gay. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/56 "2012-06-04T12:28:20Z")
> [@Farmer\_Jane](#): > > The Million Moms are going to look [really stupid](http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/181889_571776235031_393752030_n.jpg) in a couple of decades. Wait! Does that sign reads “Race mixing is Communism”? Did those people even know what the word meant? For the record, I couldn’t be more mixed if you put all of my multi-colored ancestors in a giant blender and pureed them. Guess I will have to get me some hammers and sickles. 😃 And about JCP, go them. I will try and spend some money there, if only to piss off the “million” moms who had to got to go to vacation bible camp all at once. “Million” my ass. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/57 "2012-06-04T14:08:37Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Seems the group One Million Moms boycotted JCP for hiring Ellen DeGeneres as spokesperson. Releasing a gay father’s day ad featuring a real life dad couple with their kids was their response. > > Go JCP! This is one of those cases where cynicism (assuming JCP acted out of cold green-eyeshade profit calculation) is encouraging (that assumption leads to the conclusion that the culture has reached the tipping point where flipping the bigots the middle finger is good for business). ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/58 "2012-06-04T14:11:47Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > I thought “One Million Moms” was more like “Several Thousand Moms Led By Some Dude”? They changed the name to “One Million” when a focus group pointed out that “Eleventy Zillion” is not a real number. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/59 "2012-06-04T14:16:14Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > It isn’t being made out to be “gay” the two guys are an actual gay couple. > > And how is it that this ad has been out for over a day and the locusts have not descended upon us? Dunno about you, but I sprayed “Off” on myself yesterday, so the locusts haven’t shown up near me. The “god” of the fundies, whose wrath can be defeated with a spritz of chemistry (locusts), a bit of metal (lightning), etc, isn’t all that impressive when one thinks about it. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704/60 "2012-06-04T14:19:16Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Earlier today administrators of the One Million Moms Facebook site posted a “warning” about Green Lantern being rebooted as gay Sheesh, why couldn’t these people have posted a _useful_ Green Lantern warning, like “Don’t waste your money on the movie”. :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jcpenny-gay-fathers-day-ad/623704.md?page=4)