Metro Weekly

One Million Moms is outraged by gay couple eating toast

Group famous for boycotts claims eHarmony commercial featuring gay couple is attempting to "normalize sin."

gay, toast, eharmony, one million moms
A screenshot of the eHarmony commercial – Photo: eHarmony, via YouTube

One Million Moms, the anti-LGBTQ organization known for boycotting companies, movies, TV shows, books, or anything else that depicts LGBTQ individuals or relationships in a positive light, has found itself a new target, attacking the online dating site eHarmony for a commercial it claims is attempting to “normalize sin.”

OMM, which bills itself as an organization for concerned parents “fed up with the filth many segments of our society, especially the entertainment media, are throwing at our children,” has targeted the online dating company over a commercial featuring a same-sex couple canoodling, showing affection, and sharing a piece of toast slathered with peanut butter.

OMM has alleged that the commercial, titled “Here for Real Love,” is attempting to “normalize and glorify the LGBTQ lifestyle by featuring a homosexual couple hugging, feeding each other, and wiping the other one’s mouth.”

“By promoting same sex relationships, eHarmony wants to make it clear where they stand on this controversial topic instead of remaining neutral in the culture war,” the group wrote in an online petition it’s been asking supporter to sign. “There is concern about the way this advertisement is pushing the LGBTQ agenda, but an even greater concern is that the commercial is airing when children are likely watching television.

“This eHarmony ad brainwashes children and adults by desensitizing them and convincing them that homosexuality is natural, when in reality it is an unnatural love that is forbidden by Scripture just like love rooted in adultery is forbidden,” the petition continues. “Homosexuality is immoral. Romans 1:26-27 makes this very clear. Therefore, One Million Moms will continue to stand up for biblical truth.”

The group’s petition informing eHarmony that its LGBTQ-themed commercial is offensive and urging the company to “stick to promoting your website, not political and social statements,” has thus far garnered about 8,800 signatures — far less than the million members it claims.

Ironically, the company that One Million Moms finds itself attacking has not always been considered friendly to LGBTQ people. eHarmony was founded by a prominent evangelical Christian, Dr. Neil Clark Warren, who for a while spoke out against same-sex relationships based on his personal beliefs, giving interviews to anti-LGBTQ organizations like Focus on the Family and telling USA Today that “[w]e don’t really want to participate in something that’s illegal.” In 2005, the company was sued for discriminating against same-sex couples. To settle that lawsuit, in 2009, the company launched Compatible Partners, a site for gay and lesbian singles, but it wasn’t until 2019 that eHarmony itself began making same-sex matches.

As an offshoot of the American Family Association — an organization that advocates against LGBTQ rights and expression, pornography, and abortion — One Million Moms has become infamous in recent years for its boycotts of companies that either air commercials with sexual or LGBTQ content or have pro-LGBTQ corporate policies.

The organization has previously mounted campaigns railing against a children’s TV shows depicting a pair of same-sex parentscalled for a boycott of Walgreens pharmacy over the company’s policy allowing transgender people to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity, attacked yogurt company Chobani for a commercial showing a lesbian couple eating yogurt in bed, and demanded a boycott of popular cookie brand Oreo for the company’s decision to offer limited-edition rainbow-colored cookies as part of a partnership with the LGBTQ advocacy organization PFLAG.

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