Anti-Gay Group Loses Battle to Ellen

In an effort to have Ellen DeGeneres fired from her recent post as J.C. Penney’s new spokesperson, the One Million Moms organization, an extension of the American Family Association, called on their members to urge the department store to rethink their decision. Their claim is that the majority of J.C. Penney customers are people with traditional family values and are anti-homosexual.

But J.C. Penney didn’t react. The American Family Association may have One Million Moms, but Ellen has 3 million viewers per episode.  J.C. Penney confirmed it “stands behind its partnership with Ellen DeGeneres.”

Ellen is one of the most popular talk show hosts on television and her fans, followers and supporters all transcend traditional demographics to include women, men, kids and parents. With 32 Emmys, she has broken the glass on a once closeted and phobic culture within Hollywood by proving that talent and likability can and will override bigotry.

J.C. Penney knows that leveraging diversity and inclusion are key drivers for business results. At Linkage, we believe that diversity and inclusion work is as much an art as it is a science. Creating a workforce that represents global communities and ensures an environment where every individual’s contributions are valued is much like creating a masterpiece. Click here to learn more about how you and your organization can benefit from results-driven diversity and inclusion work.