One Million Moms complained that DeGeneres is not a true representation of the type of families that shop at the retailer.
Ellen DeGeneresJ.C. Penney is rejecting a call from One Million Moms to dump talk show host Ellen DeGeneres as its national spokeswoman because she is a lesbian, according to msnbc.com
A spokeswoman for the retailer declined further comment on the issue but did say in an email to Reuters, "jcpenney stands behind its partnership with Ellen DeGeneres" and added that its announcement of the agreement last week sums up the company's view of the popular TV personality. Company president Michael Francis called DeGeneres "one of the most fun and vibrant people in entertainment today, with great warmth and a down-to-earth attitude."
OneMillionMoms.com - a project of the American Family Association in Tupelo, Miss. - complained that DeGeneres "is not a true representation of the type of families that shop at their store."
"Funny that J.C. Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families," the group wrote on its website. "More sales will be lost than gained unless they replace their spokesperson quickly. Unless J.C. Penney decides to be neutral in the culture war, then their brand transformation will be unsuccessful."
DeGeneres made her homosexuality public in 1997. She married actress Portia de Rossi in 2008.