One Million Moms is calling on supporters to boycott the Hallmark Channel after it caved in to pressure from LGBT campaigners to run ads showing a lesbian couple kissing.
Hallmark had originally pulled the ads for Zola wedding planning services after One Million Moms, the campaign arm of the American Family Association, complained.
But after the gay advocacy group GLAAD threatened a boycott of its own and high profile members of the LGBT community like Ellen DeGeneres and Pete Buttigieg challenged the decision on social media, the TV network announced that it would be reinstating the ads.
Now One Million Moms is urging supporters to give the Hallmark Channel a miss.
"After removing a controversial ad featuring two lesbians kissing at the end of their wedding ceremony, Hallmark has again reversed course –– and apologized for offending the homosexual community. One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association, is now calling for a boycott of the channel," the group said in a recent statement.
"It is the belief of 1MM that same-sex relationships are still extremely controversial and it should be left to parents to bring up the subject with children. It is clear that Hallmark is no longer family friendly, and parents will need to exercise caution before heading to the channel."
It added: "One Million Moms is asking once again for Hallmark to stay true to its family friendly roots that so many families have grown to love, and to keep sex and sexual content – including the promotion of homosexuality – out of its programming."
Hallmark makes sentimental cards but it also has a popular TV network airing family-friendly shows and movies, many of them romances.
In an apology to the LGBT community, Hallmark reaffirmed its "commitment to diversity and inclusion" and said it would work with GLAAD to "better represent the LGBTQ community across our portfolio of brands".
Hallmark president and chief executive Mike Perry said: "We are truly sorry for the hurt and disappointment this has caused.
"Across our brand, we will continue to look for ways to be more inclusive and celebrate our differences."
