Loving Lesbian Family in JC Penney Catalogue Elicits More Whining from One Million Moms

A loving lesbian partnership has the approximately 20 women behind “One Million Moms” with their panties in a twist, only two months after the last time they threatened to do minuscule harm to JCPenney.

In the latest JCPenney catalogue, two lesbian partners, their children, and one of their mothers are featured in a two-page clothing spread that places the words “freedom of expression” right over the two lovebirds. They appear to be wearing wedding bands. Their daughters’ grandmother also appears to be quite kind and giggly. Please brace yourself for the photographic material following this sentence.

Also, I just really want everyone to hear how gay this is:

“You’ll often find Wendi, her partner, Maggie, and daughters elbow-deep in paint, clay or mosaics,” the ad reads. Further on it explains that Wendi’s mother is an artist with a gallery in Granbury, Texas, and reiterates that the picture is of “Wendi with her mom Carolyn, daughters Raven and Clover, and partner Maggie.”

As many of you will remember, in early March JCPenney decided to revamp their image by taking on a new spokeswoman, the effortlessly gay and adorable Ellen Degeneres. One Million Moms, or really a group of under 50,000 homophobes who say “family values” a lot, got extremely angry at the retail corporation on the Internet, and threatened to boycott the company’s clothing and other items if they went through with their decision.

In the end, JCPenney refused to get rid of Ellen and kept her on so that Earth could keep spinning. It seemed likely after that incident that OMM would kind of go away forever, perhaps out of sheer embarrassment, but instead they are back and using typically stupid arguments to attack JCPenney for the recent spread. According to their website, they are “very busy” fighting gay happiness around the world, but have decided very graciously to focus on this non-issue nonetheless:

OMM has so many issues to cover we had no choice but to move on earlier in the year but have decided to revisit this issue and speak out again. It is obvious that JCP would rather take sides than remain neutral. JCP will hear from the other side so they need to hear from us as well.

Last time OMM contacted JC Penney store managers, we were brushed off. Some even experienced in person the store manager saying “Thank you” and walking off while their customer and our concerned members were in mid-sentence. OMM has been told that JCP corporate office told store managers to say “Thank you” and then walk away. If they want our business, then we will not be ignored!

You can read the full statement here, including their plans for action.

The language isn’t surprising, but it’s still not logically sound. Like people who claim that gay marriage is a “special right” and that any form of tolerance or affirmation for queer people creates efforts of “recruitment” and the “erasure of heterosexuality,” One Million Moms clearly has no idea what they’re even talking about. After all, portraying gay people in a catalogue does not “end neutrality” – it just reflects reality. Things like giving money to pro-gay marriage organizations end neutrality. (Also, it is worth mentioning how many women and men featured in the catalogue identified as straight or were featured alone with no note of their sexuality, but mysteriously aren’t being singled out as pro-straight propaganda.) Similarly, being ignored when you are outnumbered is simply how it works in the realm of politics when you have a democracy – the majority will always win out. One Million Moms is failing to recognize that JCPenney doesn’t hate straight people and their families, they just aren’t particularly concerned about the gay panic of a few misinformed “activists.” And OMM is quite welcome to take their pathetically low membership numbers elsewhere if they don’t get it.

One Million Moms believes they are engaged in a “cultural war,” and that JCPenney is actively cheerleading for the other team. Each battle OMM wages in this “war” is about making sure gay people are invisible and hidden, and making sure others comply with that wish. But OMM has already lost the war – because gay people do exist and it turns out, exist in quite larger numbers than extremely homophobic people who care about JCPenney more than the average American. Now we just have to see how long it is before a group of under 50,000 moms gets tired of entering lost battles.

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Carmen

Carmen spent six years at Autostraddle, ultimately serving as Straddleverse Director, Feminism Editor and Social Media Co-Director. She is now the Consulting Digital Editor at Ms. and writes regularly for DAME, the Women’s Media Center, the National Women’s History Museum and other prominent feminist platforms; her work has also been published in print and online by outlets like BuzzFeed, Bitch, Bust, CityLab, ElixHER, Feministing, Feminist Formations, GirlBoss, GrokNation, MEL, Mic and SIGNS, and she is a co-founder of Argot Magazine. You can find Carmen on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr or in the drive-thru line at the nearest In-N-Out.

Carmen has written 919 articles for us.

46 Comments

  1. OMM*, how cute is this couple!

    also JCPenney ftw

    * as in Oh My Mushrooms/Marshmallows/any random word with M

  2. My greatest hope in life is that One Million Moms puts together some sort of bus tour called “MobileOMM” and then gets followed around by a large group of lesbians shouting “BAMBI BAMBI WAIT WE LOVE YOU”

  3. RAVEN AND CLOVER MAY BE THE CUTEST NAMES EVER.

    Like, they seem totally appropriate for a family that is likely slightly quirky (thanks, artsy Grandma!)

    Also if I saw a pretty in that denim dress I would squee a little.

  4. What exactly do the “million (read: under-50,000) moms” expect to accomplish by contacting store managers? What would you do as a store manager if a clearly deranged, middle-aged, woman approached you and said she wouldn’t shop there because of THE LESBIANS?

    I, for one, am going to speak with my dollar. For every wacko OMM woman JC Penney loses to homophobia, they will probably gain a gay shopper who appreciates their effort and just wants to buy a cute blazer.

  5. if you go and read some of the horrible comments these people post on the OMM’s facebook page, you will truly be shocked! I actually read one that said that one girls mother should have beat the “gay” out of her daughter if she really loved her!
    it is really sad that people can’t accept reality sometimes.

    besides those kids are SOOO FREAKING ADORABLE!! how ar eyou really going to hate on anyone with cute ass kids like that?!??! lol

    • Why is it that some of these people think they can pick and chose what part of the bible they want to follow? Many of the comments stated that the “bible says it’s a sin”. Well, God hates figs (Mark 11:12:14, shrimp (Leviticus 11:10, polyester (Leviticus 19:19)and football (Leviticus 11:8). These people need to think of that as they eat their scampi, in front of the game on tv, wearing their newest outfit from Walmart. See you in Hell. Save me a seat by the fan.

  6. Go JCP for not backing down! Damn, do I have to go there now? Last time I checked it was pretty dismal. Ah well, they love lesbians so I’m sure I will find something.

    Taking sides using my gay dollarz.

    • I was there last week and found some pretty cute stuff. Their prices are about Target level for most things now, so that’s good, I guess.

      The employee I talked to was not happy though. She said she’s been getting a lot of complaints….Not about the lesbians, but about the lack of coupons. Some people are really passionate about their coupons.

    • If your JCP has a Sephora and a MNG Mango inside, then it’s pretty awesome.

  7. There is a really nice freestanding JC Penny in my area and I’ve just never been a huge fan of shopping there. That being said, I will definitely be stopping in to let them know what a great job they are doing and thank them with my gay gay dollars! Also, the last time I ventured in I got a rad dinosaur tee so it could be a good time :)

  8. “fighting gay happiness around the world” — well said! That’s exactly what they’re doing.

  9. Is it time for a lolcat meme about the million moms and JCP?

    Also, one day I hope to be effortlessly gay. I the mean time I’ll settle for gay awkward black girl*.

    *bonus points if you get that reference

  10. Since I had nothing to do and felt like being a huge cunt, I thought I’d report some offensive material to these guys. =P

    “I was browsing the internet today with my younger sister sitting beside me, and let me say she is just barely going to turn 14, so obviously she’s at a very impressionable age. Which is why it came as such a shock to me that while browsing a simple news site I found a link to the one million moms homepage. I never imagined such offensive, hateful content could be so easily accessible; even someone a bit younger like my kid sister could potentially stumble upon this website and inadvertently be led to believe its archaic ideologies, like the idea that everyone should support christian holidays being shoved in their faces regardless of their own beliefs, that being gay is not normal or ok, or even that businesses don’t have the right to air commercials during more mature television programming! I know, I was utterly shocked as well. Luckily for me, my sister was raised to recognize how silly all these ideas were, and there was no problem. Turns out, if parents raise their kid right, it doesn’t matter what they read or see, they know how to make the right choices! Anyway, I thought since you guys were so concerned about offensive material, I’d give you a nice heads up about this site. Maybe you could try to boycott them next. =) Best wishes, a concerned sister and daughter.”

    Wonder if they’ll even read it. x) I submitted it through their “submit a complaint about an offensive program” dealy.

  11. I frequent this site but never created an account. I just created an account so I could say how much I love this article.People like the one million (less than <50,000) mom's really irritate me. I will be increasing the amount I shop at JCP. They can have as much of this lady loving chicks money as they want.

  12. I love that JCPenny keeps trolling on OMM. Now I have a new place to spend my not-for-Target dollars.

  13. Go to ‘OMM’ website to read their statement. Look at top masthead. First thought, “Man, that thing looks gay enough to be a JC Penney ad.”

  14. Is it odd that everything that pisses off OneDozenMoms makes me feel warm and happy?

  15. “JC Penney has laid low in the month of April by airing two different commercials that portrayed them as remaining neutral in the cultural war.”

    These people ACTUALLY think they’re commandoes don’t they? I don’t think I ever realised that when people talked about ‘the gay agenda’ they actually believe that there is an organised conspiracy to overthrow all that is pure in the world.

    I wonder whether they’re stocking up on bottled water and beige turtle necks in case everything out there gets taken over by The Fabulous.

  16. Hahhahahaha omg I love that JCP told their store managers to say thank you and walk away. OMM is making me love JCP more! xD

  17. wendi carolyn raven clover and maggie – cutiest artsy white people names EVER

    these are cute artsy white people advertising liz claiborne and referencing mosaics, there is no way a million moms are ever actually going to hate this. that would be like hating creativity, oil paints, and freedom of expression.

  18. I’ve started shopping more at JCP since they’ve hired Ellen.
    I think it awesome they’re showing a realistic family.
    Fifty years ago there would be the same response if this ad featured an interracial couple.
    Personally, I love JCP’s boy-girl briefs. :D

  19. I did all of my pre A-Camp shopping at JCPenny..Thats right ladies..JCPenny helped make Digger do-able! I will continue to drive miles out of my way to give them my dollars!

  20. i’m gonna boycott JCPenney cuz these two lesbian moms aren’t scissoring. like why are they smiling and hugging like regular moms?

    • They’re probably whispering sweet nothing’s in each others’ ears like, “I really appreciate how you buy Smart Butter for our home even though I know you like Country Crock.”
      a.k.a.
      They’re totally having lesbian sex.

      • I don’t think I’d scissor with anyone that bought Smart Balance or Country Crock. It has to be real butter. Everything else feels virtual :S

  21. Okay guys, my words might be jumbled because I went to this Avengers movie marathon plus midnight showing and can’t fall asleep since but I know there’s a commercial about something to do with family values or something and I want to report it to OMM because you guys as a gay person, I cannot allow such heterosexuality to be shoved down the throats of all my younger brothers who I’m oh so determined to make gay because I do not believe in allowing people to be who they wish to be! On the real, that’s what they sound like except they hate homosexuality and I can guarantee if I went around talking like that I would automatically be declared incompetent. I’m just tripped up by the fact that my friend’s mom agrees with OMM…

  22. I totally agree that Raven and Clover are adorable names, but if Clover drops the ‘r’ and starts training in knife throwing we might want to keep an eye on her or at least not let her near any large arenas.

  23. Because of this ad, I’ll be buying my bridesmaid shoes, and rehearsal dinner outfit from JCP. They can have my money.

  24. Wow, thanks for bringing this to my attention so I will know not to shop at JCP anymore. 1 Million Moms Strong just added one more!

    • …What are you doing on a queer website? I think you have some awkward questions to ask yourself.

      It’s okay, we’re here for you.

    • Oh good! That means that now they’re only about 953,376 moms away from actually having a million moms.

  25. Soooo, sometimes I like to get on the OMM website specifically to write thank-you letters congratulating the people they are pissed at. *trollface*

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