The American Family Association (AFA) has criticised the Hilton Hotels & Resorts group for promoting an ad featuring two men together in bed. It demands that the hotel chain advertise something in a more "family friendly manner."
The ad appears in the June 2016 edition of Travel and Leisure magazine, which "isn't a gay-specific magazine sent directly to homosexual's homes," according to the AFA.
The pro-family organisation is concerned that Hilton Hotels did not practice "market responsibility" in placing the ad in a magazine that is widely distributed and can be found in many public places such as doctors' or auto repairs' waiting rooms.
"If Hilton had advertised two men playing tennis, cards, or having lunch, that would have been reasonable. However, Hilton chose to make a cultural and social statement by purposely marketing the promotion of homosexuality to a large segment of the population who finds the idea of two men sleeping together unnatural and offensive," the group explains.
After hearing the AFA's complaint, Hilton defended its decision to promote homosexuality in the magazine. The hotel chain says, "Hilton Worldwide is a global company of diverse cultures serving diverse guests. We are proud to depict and reflect our guest diversity in our advertising."
The AFA is concerned that the hotel chain will "likely take it further with other forms of mainstream media." To discourage Hilton from doing so, the Christian group started an online petition asking people not to boycott the hotel chain but to express their distaste with the LGBT-friendly ad.
"If Hilton is going to advertise in mainstream media, at the very least, it should promote with images that reflect a family friendly atmosphere," the petition reads. "In addition, I urge you to meet with pro-family leaders who represent my values and concerns over this matter."
So far, over 49,000 individuals have signed the petition.
