No Pride At Macy's

[+ Lucky]

Why is that a small but vocal group can cow a major business into doing things their way? We saw it for awhile with Ford Motor Company, and now it is Macy's in Boston. Perhaps a few emails from us could get Macy's to reverse course as did Ford when people spoke up:

 

Macy's Removes Gay Pride Display

 

Wednesday, June 7, 2006

 

 

BOSTON (AP) --

 

 

Macy's department store has removed a window display marking Boston's gay pride week after a group that opposes gay marriage complained it was offensive.

 

 

The display at the downtown Boston store featured two male mannequins, with one wearing a gay pride rainbow flag around his waist, next to a list of several planned Boston Pride Week events.

 

 

MassResistance, formerly the Article 8 Alliance, which has campaigned against gay marriage and gay-themed textbooks in public schools, objected to the display and said the mannequin wearing the flag had a "skirt" on, the Boston Herald reported.

 

 

The group posted pictures on its Web site and scores of its supporters complained to Macy's by phone and e-mail.

 

 

Elina Kazan, a Macy's spokeswoman, said the store decided to remove the mannequins but leave the list of events in order to strike a balance. Displays in previous years did not use mannequins.

 

 

"We believe in diversity, and our customers are very important to us," Kazan said. "But (the display) did offend a few of our customers, and we had to re-examine it.

 

 

ACLU of Massachusetts spokeswoman Sarah Wunsch criticized Macy's for "succumbing to the bigotry" of what she said was a fringe anti-gay group.

[trilingual]

At least one occasional viewer/poster here is a Macy's executive (in California) so he may see this article here or on another site. Someone (like any Macy's/Federated gay employee group) need to clue management into an important fact of retail life: gays are much likelier to be Macy's customers, spend more there, and buy higher-end products, than right-wing evangelical KKKrischuns! }(

[+ ArVaGuy]

Here’s a link to the Boston Herald article with a picture of the display.

 

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=142499

 

It’s likely the store manager made the decision to pull the display. These guys can be gutless wonders when they are worried about sales. Now he’s got a bigger issue on his hands than if he had just left the situation alone.

 

A good form of protest would be gay customers showing up this weekend, pick out merchandise then just leave it at the counter and walk out. This would provide an excellent demonstration of lost revenue.

[+ Axiom2001]

I liked the strategy that ArlingtonVA has proposed! It's certainly too bad that I am not in this city at this time! I, personally, would do exactly as suggested; I'd try to get as many others as possible to join in this peaceful boycott!

 

But I would take it further; I'd charge a lot then turn around and say that "on second thought"-- I think that I do NOT want the goods. Think of all of the time that it would take to recalculate in the varying departments.

[trilingual]

OK, shoppers, if you want to send comments to Federated (the owner of Macy's) go to this link: http://www.federated-fds.com/contact/general.asp Give 'em a piece of your mind, especially if you have one of their store cards! I just sent them a real sizzler! }(

[+ Axiom2001]

I just wrote! If a lot of communication is generated, it is hoped that next year we will see a different type of display in June in Boston as well as in other supposedly progressive cities where Macy's has its stores.

[+ Axiom2001]

I just wrote! If a lot of communication is generated, it is hoped that next year we will see a different type of display in June in Boston as well as in other supposedly progressive cities where Macy's has its stores.

[Laurent]

I sent an e-mail the night of the 7th and had a response the next day saying that my message had been forwarded to the manager of the Boston store. I got a response that day from someone in the Boston store stating that Macys has a long history of supporting diversity and will continue to do so. I responded that I would not dispute their history of support but that she appeared to be ignoring the actions of that specific store this year. I haven't had a response to that statement.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Here's the response I recived verbatim from Macy's PR department. Pretty typical canned response written by a marketing flack. Of course I was not expecting much more in the first place.

 

"Macy's has a long-standing and respected history of support for diversity. Our company philosophy is deeply rooted in diversity and inclusiveness. As such, we support a variety of causes in the communities that we serve. Our commitment and celebration of Gay Pride has been traditionally commemorated in our window displays. Our annual support of Gay Pride Week in Boston and in other cities where we operate clearly demonstrates our commitment to diversity. Macy's commitment to diversity will continue to be an important part of our company and community outreach as we celebrate Gay Pride festivities this month and in the future."

[+ Lucky]

I see that in order to make a comment, one is required to provide a lot of personal data, no doubt so they can add you to a mailing list.

 

Their form response is discouraging. Does anyone know if other Macy stores have done any Pride displays or should we give Boston credit for the effort?