The Hallmark Channel is to include a lesbian wedding in one of its films for the first time after a pledge to improve LGBT+ representation, and homophobes are furious.
Known for its steady supply of unchallenging and wholesome made-for-TV films, the channel has long been criticised for its lack of LGBT+ representation, but recently promised to make diversity including queer storylines a “top priority.”
Upcoming film Wedding Every Wekeend, starring Kimberley Sustad and Paul Campbell, will begin to deliver on the commitment in a small way, featuring a lesbian wedding amid a wider heterosexual love story.
New Hallmark Channel filmWedding Every Weekend features same-sex wedding
A synopsis reads: “Nate and Brooke are going to the same four weddings, four weekends in a row. To avoid set-ups, they go together as ‘wedding buddies.’ But what starts as a friendship soon becomes deeper.”
The trailer for the film, set to debut on August 15, confirms that one of the weddings the pair attend is for a same-sex couple, with the betrothed donning a white dress and pantsuit for the occasion.
Needless to say, the inclusion has provoked fury from One Million Moms, a front for the anti-LGBT+ fundamentalist lobbying group American Family Association, which despite its name has just 4,789 mostly-male Twitter followers.
One Million Moms claim including LGBT+ people in content is a ‘betrayal’
The group raged: “The once conservative network has recently caved to LGBTQ pressure and has done a one-eighty from the wholesome content the channel once aired, and the network is now catering to the Left.
“So many people feel betrayed by Hallmark over these past seven months. Hallmark Channel was one of the remaining channels that families could watch without being bombarded by politically correct commercials and the LGBTQ agenda.
“One Million Moms is boycotting all things Hallmark. This includes Hallmark Channel, Hallmark wrapping paper, greeting cards, Christmas ornaments, etc.”
A form letter the group is asking its supporters to send to the company says: “Please do not add LGBTQ movies to the Hallmark Channel lineup. Such content goes against conservative values that are important to your primary audience. You will lose viewers if you cave to the LBGTQ [sic] agenda.
“Our family will change the channel and boycott Hallmark – the channel and Hallmark products – as long as the network surrenders to the LGBTQ agenda and airs controversial topics.
“For years, Hallmark was set apart from other channels because it aired wholesome content. Unless Hallmark realizes the mistake it has made by caving to LGBTQ activists’ groups, my family will have no other choice than to boycott Hallmark.”
Given the vast array of businesses boycotted by One Million Moms with little impact, we’re not sure Hallmark will be quaking in their boots.