I encourage everyone to join MassResistance Watch's call to not to shop at Macy's until the mannequins and web addresses are returned and an apology is made directly to the LGBT community of Boston. To me the most offensive part about the Macy's storefront fiasco is the fact that they took down vital life saving information: the web address of the Aids Action Committee (AAC). AAC saves lives and Macy's should be ashamed for silencing their important work in the fight against HIV/AIDS. What could have been a small blip on the radar for Macy's has turned into a public relations nightmare because they are unwilling to apologize and return the mannequins in a timely manor. Most people with a background in public relations would know better than to bow to a radical right wing group and then waffle around in the media with ridiculous and offensive excuses. Readers of the huffingtonpost are reportedly calling Macy's and cancelling their Macy's credit cards, and I encourage others to do the same.
UPDATE 11AM June 8: According to MassResistanceWatch the web addresses have been returned! This is so insane, Macy's needs some public relations 101 training, but I am glad they returned the life saving information.
Macy's Department store in Downtown Crossing of Boston has removed the two Mannequins that accompanied the gay pride calendar in their store window display after three days of complaints from the radical group Article HATE Alliance. Article HATE has spread news of the Macy's windows nation-wide on right-wing web sites, and now Macy's is being flooded with crazy calls.
Macy's claims that they are trying to strike balance. Yet they cannot explain why the mannequins are offensive or what they mean by balance. A little anti-gay and a little pro-gay? LGBT rights are not a balancing act. There is no balance. Either you support LGBT people or you do not.
Tuesday June 6: Earlier I visited the Executive Offices located on the Lower Level of the Boston Macy's where the person in charge said that Robin Reibel of the Public Relations Department for all of the New England Stores could answer my questions further. He assured me that if it were up to him this would not have happened, and that they are waiting for a call back from corporate offices with an official statement. He could not give me a clear answer as to why the mannequins were taken down or why they would be deemed offensive. Robin has not returned my calls.
If you do wish to call Macy's please be kind and respectful. Let them know why it is offensive that they caved in to an organization like Article Hate. Customer Service: 800-526-1202
Public Relations: 212-494-3893
Updated! News Coverage Links:Channel 7 Video Coverage, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Yahoo News, Article HATE Alliance, Huffington Post
5 comments:
Hate Resistance: great job. Everyone should keep your messages respectful and logical and even headed so that we do not sound like the crazy's article 8 does.
Also who does macys thinks shops in their trendy mens department? lol
The Macy's window display has nothing to do with the pride parade itself or our presence in pride.
We are posting the information about Macy's because a lot of queer people saw the display and thought it was really cool to be acknowledged like that in the public square, and now that it is taken down it is an insult to our community.
queer jay - yup perfectly clear and yay.
i think Article HATE Alliance are crazy ugly dweebs born without sex organs, outcast and needy of attention. and Macy did a great job on promoting itself as a gay friendly place as well as getting free media attention. whatever is it Boston Pride Rules!
Macy's quotes in the boston herald are rediculous, and too bad they didn't include our interview. Macy's said they tried to strike "balance." Still they cannot tell us what about the mannequins was offensive, and even Mayor Menino disagrees with the decision.
Post a Comment