Wednesday, June 7, 2006

From Children's Books to Mannequins

Of course Macy's bowed to pressure to remove the mannequins, I guess we're supposed to be glad that the rest of the window is still up. Although they also removed the website address to Bostonpride. Clearly Macy's did not think this through because I'm sure the nutcases that called them to remove the windows were not from urban areas or even from places that have Macy's. The Boston Herald has a story about the removal:


But the store yanked the mannequins from the window after MassResistance, the conservative group formerly named Article 8 Alliance which has also campaigned against sex education and gay-themed books in public schools, complained the display was offensive.

"They were male mannequins with enlarged breasts, and one was wearing a skirt," said MassResistance president Brian Camenker, referring to the gay pride flag wrapped around one figure, cinched with a white belt. "It was really disgusting."

"It was really disgusting." This from the group who had a man dress up as Margaret Marshall and burn the Massachusetts Constitution.

Ya know, I had high hopes for Macy's when they had Harvey Fierstein dress up as Mrs. Claus for the Thanksgiving Day parade but this is ridiculous. (And who looks better?) MANNEQUINS!? I don't think they came to life like Kim Cattrall did in the movie and seduced someone did they? Come'on people, Article 8 is gasping for life here!

I think Macy's made a BIG mistake. I know I will not continue to shop there, there are plenty of other stores in Boston that will not bow to the demands of the extreme radical right. (Do they even shop there, I thought Walmart was their store of choice?) I wonder how the people in NYC will feel about Macy's after they hear about this blunder?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

It should be clear by now that Amy Contrada and Brian Camenker are nothing more than homophobes. All their weasel worded justifications can't hide the fact that they are driven by blind hatred.

In tooday's blog, Amy goes so far as to steal photos from the truthserum site so she can add hateful inferences to pictures of Aliza's friends.

it's time for people to stand up. Write the Globe, the Herald, and Governer Romney and ask why they give ANY credence to these people. If they answer balance, ask them why they don't deal with the Klan. There is no difference.

Mark D. Snyder said...

I graduated in public relations, and this is a public relations mistake if there ever is one. Why macy's would think that they should bow to the pressure of a few right wing nuts only to anger both sides of the debate and get negative press coverage is beyond me. They need to replace the mannequins immediately and apologize if they want to keep the queer community happy - their biggest customers. What idiots.

Anonymous said...

At last nights Pridelights in the South End, on the stage Macy's was called out by a number of people and folks were urged to write letters, make phone calls etc.

Sandouri Dean Bey said...

it never ceases to amaze me when companies with a national presence cave to conservative, bigoted nutjobs like the article 8 alliance. i mean, i know you can't please everyone in the culture wars, but if you have to choose (especially in a cosmopolitan city like boston) between bigotry and diversity, why choose bigotry?

i'm going to cut up my macy's card and send it to their ny headquarters. assholes!

Anonymous said...

Brian and Amy beat you and they are going to continue to beat you until gay marriage in Massachusetts is an asterisk in the history books. Then your "right" to keep child slaves in a perverted relationship with phoney parents will be terminated and the lock will be forever on the gay Pandora's box. Thank God for people like Amy and Brian.

Anonymous said...

There are far more people in the country leading traditional, heterosexual lifestyles than there are gay or transgendered people. Macy's made a huge mistake by putting up that display. It was offensive and shocking. Children, in particular, do not need to be exposed to skirt wearing, breast protruding "men". There's enough sickness and perversion online - most decent people don't want to see it on display at a department store. I applaud Macy's for recognizing that fact.

Anonymous said...

Macy's?! BAH! If THIS offends you Boston, then come on to San Francisco. I dare you. We don't just fly the rainbow flag on our mannequins here, we fly it over them NEKKID, and it is beautiful!

BTW - EVERYONE deserves the right to marry. Gay marriages are not any more phony than MANY straight ones and the children are not "slaves" any moreso than those of a straight household. Before you throw stones, take a good look at yourself. I'm willing to bet you will see an ugly, angry person who is afraid of anything remotely divers.

Now, where did I put my rainbow flag skirt? Oh that's right, my HUSBAND is wearing it to show his support for our friends. AND WE ARE STRAIGHT.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad your blog is here as a watchdog! What a bunch of $*&(#)$&# those people are! I used their own list of phone numbers to call Macy's myself and put in my two little cents. The gentleman I spoke with was extremely kind and sounded very grateful for my call. Anyone else who can afford a quick call to Boston, do it! Doesn't matter where you are in the country, just dial and tell them how you feel!

Anonymous said...

Here in Ca we were happy to see a Beautiful and Tasteful "Pride" window display. Now however we are sorry and perplexed to hear that Boston's Macy's cowered to such a small, bigoted, right-wing, anti american group and changed that very display. I am organizing a boycott of ALL Federated stores by my friends - straight and gay to show how many of us there really are and that Macy's needs to wake up - we ARE 10% of the poulation...those bigots they cower to shop at WalMart, (where they belong), so when we stop shopping at Macy's, Bloomie's etc, do they really think those same bigots will come save them? Heck no they are happy shopping at WalMart where they can support their real causes...child labor, unfair working conditions, no benefits for American workers and the list goes on.
Join me in boycotting ALL Federated stores let's see if the Article 8's & Bible thumpers of the country will save them from ruin.

Mark D. Snyder said...

This is unrelated but Macy's still sells Fur too and thats really messed up.

Anonymous said...

The thing that I find OFFENSIVE in this whole matter is that Macy's bowed to pressure from a group of bigoted homophobes. I'm tired of people like this telling us that we have to go back into the closet. These idiots need to GET A LIFE!! If they can't deal with gay people or gay marriage, then MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE, because we're tired of putting up with your bigotry here.

Anonymous said...

How does being conservative make these people bigots? Just because they disagree with you does not mean they are bigots. Maybe it is YOU guys who have the problem. Article 8 does not like you shoving this homosexual crap down the nation's throats! Gay day, gay pride parade, gay groups, groups in schools just for gays...I could go on forever. Conservatives wouldn't care about how you live your lives if you would STOP ANNOUCING THAT YOU ARE GAY!

Anonymous said...

If anonymous 1:23 isn't Brian Camenker, he writes exactly like him.

Think about what he's saying: I'm not a bigot, I just don't want to have to deal with anybody who is different from me.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure who this anonymous 1:23 is, but it sounds to me like he's one of the bigoted homophobes who objected to the window display. As far as these Article 8 people are concerned, they are the ones who should stop trying to shove their views down the nation's throat. This is the one week a year where we get to be who we really are, and I'm tired of people like him making a fuss about every little thing that gay people do. I will state it once again to the bigoted homophobes, GET A LIFE!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm anonymous 1:23. I didn't object to the window display, and I don't even live in Boston. I object to your group calling these people "bigots" for protesting a display. Do you think the mannequins had their feelings hurt? I don't think so.
Also, I do not shove my heterosexuality down anyone's throat. I also hate it when anybody decides a public place is a great spot to make out, have sex, and just hang all over each other.
I do not announce that I am straight. All of the "pro-gay groups" love to run around screaming that they're proud to be gay, but when one person objects, they're bigots. And, how are normal relationships - yes, that's what heterosexual relationships are, normal, because homosexuals don't make up the majority - disgusting? Boy Scouts are sick? They are a private religious organization. If you want to join the boy scouts, then you have to be straight. It's simple.
I have no problem with homosexuals, I just do not agree with the lifestyle. I love everybody, I don't care about the race, gender, religion, anything. I just do not like it when people are attacked for protesting to ONE thing that the gay community does, wins, and is attacked and called a bigot.

Mike C., why are you telling ME to get a life? You are the one attacking me back, and participating in an anti-anti-gay blog. Very hypocritical.