In a bow to fringe extremist pressure, Macy's has removed a window display marking this week'd gay pride events in Boston.
Call Macy's!
Macy's East Coast Office (New York City): Mike McNamus 800-264-0069 ext. 2337
Macy's East Coast Public Relations (New York City): Elina Kazan 212-494-4624
Manager, Boston Macy's Dept. Store: Linda Stahley 617-357-3164
Special Events Coordinator, Boston office: Robin Rydell [Article 8's comment:She has acknowledged to us that it was her decision to put up the "gay pride" window display!] 617-357-2727 So we should call and thank her.
President, Macy's East Coast Operations: James Gray Executive Offices, 151 W. 34th St. New York, NY 10001 212-695-4400
[Post modified for hyperlink format - Outsports moderator]
[ June 07, 2006, 06:32 PM: Message edited by: m1 ]
Full Version: Macy's removes gay pride display
I agree that the group behind this is despicable, but - sorry to remain the contrarian - the larger question is do we really need such displays and protestations "encouraging diversity" at all? I find such displays, whatever the group or cause they push, a preachy form of brainwashing. Why, pray tell, should a department store, of all things, be "celebrating" any one group or the other? Just give me the best goods at the best price and allow me to shop in peace!
I'd like to see all such displays and programs ended once and for all - except in their proper place and as instituted by the groups behind them. In most situations, that would mean put on a parade!
Edited to add: BTW, I don't shop at Macy*s anymore. I find their prices consistently high, their private labels shoddy and undersized, and their staff largely ignorant of the basics of good customer service.
[ June 07, 2006, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: gmginsfo ]
I'd like to see all such displays and programs ended once and for all - except in their proper place and as instituted by the groups behind them. In most situations, that would mean put on a parade!
Edited to add: BTW, I don't shop at Macy*s anymore. I find their prices consistently high, their private labels shoddy and undersized, and their staff largely ignorant of the basics of good customer service.
[ June 07, 2006, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: gmginsfo ]
These gay haters are really obsessed. I checked out their website. It seems they thought the male mannequins in question had "enlarged breasts" eek! as compared to the "normal Macy's male mannequins." 
QUOTE
Monday morning: Male mannequins with(apparently) enlarged breasts, one wearing a rainbow skirt.
Tuesday morning: After tidal wave of your calls, mannequins are gone. (Also, the Boston Pride and AIDS Action Committee websites have been taken off!) But \"Pride\" sign still there.
* * *
YOU MUST KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!!! It's very important that a huge chain like Macy's understands that this is not a trivial matter, and that they're playing with fire when they publicly promote this activity, and snub their customers in the process.
Tuesday morning: After tidal wave of your calls, mannequins are gone. (Also, the Boston Pride and AIDS Action Committee websites have been taken off!) But \"Pride\" sign still there.
* * *
YOU MUST KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!!! It's very important that a huge chain like Macy's understands that this is not a trivial matter, and that they're playing with fire when they publicly promote this activity, and snub their customers in the process.
GMG, I need to respectfully disagree, or at least veer off a little bit from what you said. No, we do not need such windows. HOWEVER, when such a window is put up, a window that is not indecent in any way, that merely reflects upon the existence of a segment of our society, and due to the bigoted position and posturing of a group of losers that display is altered or removed, it becomes something to be concerned about. The very presence of gay people is what this group is objecting to. Our visibility offends them. Your existence is an affront to their sensibilities. I am not saying that the window display is representative of average gay people, but it is a symbolic representation of our larger community. Unfortunately, Macys decided that they agree with this group, much to their detriment. I personally know several people (gay and straight) who have already complained to Macys and/or cut up their Macys charge cards.
The local chat boards up here are up in arms over this and gays and straights (running roughly 20-1 by my estimation) are decrying Macys' kowtowing to this organization.
The local chat boards up here are up in arms over this and gays and straights (running roughly 20-1 by my estimation) are decrying Macys' kowtowing to this organization.
QUOTE
canmark:
These gay haters are really obsessed. I checked out their website. It seems they thought the male mannequins in question had \"enlarged breasts\" eek! as compared to the \"normal Macy's male mannequins.\" :rolleyes:
Retailers use different mannequins in their window displays (where they are trying to grab pedestrian attention with muscles, super long legs, high heels, nipples, etc.) than the in-store displays when they are trying to close the sale. In-store mannequins represent a more modest physique and/or are as simple as the headless torso kind this group shows us inside the store.These gay haters are really obsessed. I checked out their website. It seems they thought the male mannequins in question had \"enlarged breasts\" eek! as compared to the \"normal Macy's male mannequins.\" :rolleyes:
I hate Christofascists.
No disagreement at all, aquaman; I'm much more opposed to the Bible Thumpers than I am to the idea of the Window Cross-Dressers, however unrepresentative of me or gay men - or women, the mannekins are pretty unisexual from the photo shown - they may be. But from everything I've seen on this so far, I do think Macy*s used very poor judgment in putting the thing up in the first place. In fact, I wonder just why they did? It would be sad indeed if someone from our camp bullied them into doing so!
Macy's is getting more than it bargained for. The story's already on the AP newswire and is appearing on websites of newspapers and TV stations around the country. I like the Boston Herald headline: Pride and Prejudice: Macy’s yanks gay display, blasted by both sides
[ June 07, 2006, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: canmark ]
QUOTE
That decision upset gay activists, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino, whose spokesman said was “disappointed that Macy’s would bow to this kind of pressure.”
“The mayor believed the window reflected the diversity of our city,” spokesman Seth Gitell said. “This entire episode flies in the face” of that.
Camenker posted pictures of the display on the conservative group’s blog and in an email sent to thousands, urging them to protest, and scores of people inundated Macy’s officials with complaints. Yesterday several Macy’s officials in New York and Boston were unreachable because their email and voicemail boxes were full.
“The mayor believed the window reflected the diversity of our city,” spokesman Seth Gitell said. “This entire episode flies in the face” of that.
Camenker posted pictures of the display on the conservative group’s blog and in an email sent to thousands, urging them to protest, and scores of people inundated Macy’s officials with complaints. Yesterday several Macy’s officials in New York and Boston were unreachable because their email and voicemail boxes were full.
[ June 07, 2006, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: canmark ]
QUOTE
gmginsfo:
No disagreement at all, aquaman; I'm much more opposed to the Bible Thumpers than I am to the idea of the Window Cross-Dressers, however unrepresentative of me or gay men - or women, the mannekins are pretty unisexual from the photo shown - they may be. But from everything I've seen on this so far, I do think Macy*s used very poor judgment in putting the thing up in the first place. In fact, I wonder just why they did? It would be sad indeed if someone from our camp bullied them into doing so!
The Macys in downtown Boston has had a Gay Pride window display for years now, usually it is just a large card or board detailing the various pride events taking place that week, maybe including some photos of gay celebrants at the preceding year's parade, families, etc. This was the first time, to my recollection, that they inserted mannequins in that display. Regardless, the display is completely innocent, not indecent, not offensive.No disagreement at all, aquaman; I'm much more opposed to the Bible Thumpers than I am to the idea of the Window Cross-Dressers, however unrepresentative of me or gay men - or women, the mannekins are pretty unisexual from the photo shown - they may be. But from everything I've seen on this so far, I do think Macy*s used very poor judgment in putting the thing up in the first place. In fact, I wonder just why they did? It would be sad indeed if someone from our camp bullied them into doing so!
I, like thousands of others, have already written to Macys to protest this. Macys has decided that they would prefer to cave in to a group that prefers that something as inoffensive as mannequins depicting gay people would disappear. Macys will get more than they wished for when the real gay consumer disappears from their stores.
QUOTE
canmark:
I like the Boston Herald headline: Pride and Prejudice: Macy’s yanks gay display, blasted by both sides
The Herald accompanied their article with a photo of the offending mannequins captioned "Two mannequins, including one in a skirt, in the Downtown Crossing Macy’s window sparked outrage from conservative groups." I like the Boston Herald headline: Pride and Prejudice: Macy’s yanks gay display, blasted by both sides
They forgot to point out the "male mannequins' enlarged breasts".Andy Towle and his readers react.
QUOTE
fenwayguy:
They forgot to point out the \"male mannequins' enlarged breasts\".
Andy Towle and his readers react.
Camenker is such an infuriating person. I've seen more than one interivew with him and he is the worst kind of homophobe. I was so glad to see the Daily Show take him down in an interview last year.
QUOTE
canmark:
I like the Boston Herald headline: Pride and Prejudice: Macy’s yanks gay display, blasted by both sides
The Herald accompanied their article with a photo of the offending mannequins captioned \"Two mannequins, including one in a skirt, in the Downtown Crossing Macy’s window sparked outrage from conservative groups.\" I like the Boston Herald headline: Pride and Prejudice: Macy’s yanks gay display, blasted by both sides
They forgot to point out the \"male mannequins' enlarged breasts\".Andy Towle and his readers react.
I just want to know: were these two male mannequins otherwise anatomically correct? eek!
I wonder how many members of that christ group even shop at Macys? I just canceled three cards with Macy's/Strawbridges. I forgot I even had an account for large furniture purchases that I used quite a bit when I bought my house. The guy I emailed my request to offered to forward our correspondance to his supervisor so he'd know why I wasn't going to shop with them anymore. Nice guy. Its really a shame cause I always shopped at Strawbridges but I won't give money to anyone who won't stand up to such intolerance.
Breasts or pecs?
QUOTE
MassResistance claimed that the mannequins' bodies had been sculpted with female breasts.
\"There's one with a skirt and they've both got women's breasts, and they're advertising all this in a week of homosexual and transgender activities,\" said Brian Camenker, a leading MassResistance activist.
\"You do a double-take and you say, 'What's going on here? This is bizarre.' \"
\"Those aren't breasts, they're pecs,\" said Rebecca Haag of the Aids Action Committee, which wants the mannequins restored. \"This is what happens when you go to the gym and lift weights.\"
\"There's one with a skirt and they've both got women's breasts, and they're advertising all this in a week of homosexual and transgender activities,\" said Brian Camenker, a leading MassResistance activist.
\"You do a double-take and you say, 'What's going on here? This is bizarre.' \"
\"Those aren't breasts, they're pecs,\" said Rebecca Haag of the Aids Action Committee, which wants the mannequins restored. \"This is what happens when you go to the gym and lift weights.\"
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.