Hallmark Introduces Gay Marriage Cards

Largest U.S. Greeting Card Company Says It's Responding To Consumer Demand

(AP)  Most states don't recognize gay marriage - but now Hallmark does.

The nation's largest greeting card company is rolling out same-sex wedding cards - featuring two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside. "Two hearts. One promise," one says.

Hallmark added the cards after California joined Massachusetts as the only U.S. states with legal gay marriage. A handful of other states have recognized same-sex civil unions.

The language inside the cards is neutral, with no mention of wedding or marriage, making them also suitable for a commitment ceremony. Hallmark says the move is a response to consumer demand, not any political pressure.

"It's our goal to be as relevant as possible to as many people as we can," Hallmark spokeswoman Sarah Gronberg Kolell said.

Hallmark's largest competitor, Cleveland-based American Greetings Corp., has no plans to enter the market, saying its current offerings are general enough to speak to a lot of different relationships.

Hallmark started offering "coming out" cards last year, and the four designs of same-sex marriage cards are being gradually released this summer and will be widely available by next year. No sales figures were available yet.

"When I have shopped for situations like babies or weddings for gay friends I have good luck in quirky stores," said Kathryn Hamm, president of the Web site gayweddings.com.

"But if you are just in a generic store ... the bride and groom symbol or words are in most cards," she said. "It becomes difficult to find some that are neutral but have some style."

The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law estimates that more than 85,000 same-sex couples in the United States have entered into a legal relationship since 1997, when Hawaii started offering some legal benefits to same-sex partners.

It estimates nearly 120,000 more couples will marry in California during the next three years - and that means millions of potential dollars for all sorts of wedding-industry businesses.

Hallmark, known more for its Midwest mores than progressive greetings, has added a wider variety lately. It now offers cards for difficulty getting pregnant or going through rehab.

It pulled a controversial card that featured the word "queer" in the punch line after it was criticized by some customers and gay magazine The Advocate last year. At any given time, Hallmark has 200 different wedding cards on the market, including some catering to interracial or inter-religious marriages and blended families.

The Greeting Card Association, a trade group, says it does not track how many companies provide same-sex cards but believes the number is expanding.

"The fact that you have someone like Hallmark going into that niche shows it's growing and signals a trend," said Barbara Miller, a spokeswoman for the association.

Rob Fortier, an independent card maker who runs his company, Paper Words, out of New York, added same-sex wedding cards to his mix after thinking about what he would want to receive.

"A lot of people think a gay greeting card needs a rainbow on it," Fortier said. "I don't want that."

But for some time, it was difficult to even find the words for what anyone wanted to say, he said.

His first card poked fun at the challenge. On the outside it featured lines that had been scratched out: "Congratulations on being committed!", "Congratulations on being unionized!" and, finally, "Congratulations on being domestically partnered!" The inside wished the couple congratulations on choosing to be together forever.

"It really comes down to language," he said.

John Stark, one of the three founders of Three Way Design in Boston, which makes gay-themed cards for occasions from adoption to weddings, has several new designs sketched out and ready.

But he has hesitated adding more wedding cards to his mix until after the November election, when California voters will decide a constitutional amendment that would again limit marriage to a man and a woman in the state.

"What is scary is to produce a marriage line and then November comes and it's recalled, then we have thousands of dollars of inventory waiting," he said.

The gay-friendly business can be challenging, companies said.

Hamm said although she has found many vendors willing to work with her company, some have asked to be removed from the Web site because of hate mail or some other backlash.

Hallmark says all of its stores can choose whether they want to add the latest offerings.

[barbaram99]

Census won''t report the same gander oh dear that issue..Smart ..We are single and that is what we tell the census. My friend is male and I female..They are 2 female or 2 male room mates.
Married..not in my eyes..

[wl7bzh]

I thought as a Christian, you follow the teachings of Christ, not the teachings of whoever was around during the time of Levitcus. I would love you to point me to a passage in the Gospels where Jesus states that it''''s OK to HATE anyone or anything for any reason.

Posted by usclimey at 04:57 PM : Aug 21, 2008

Well lemmie see. There was this time when Jesus took a whip to the money changers in the temple.

Then there was this time when he referred to the Pharisees as a generation of serpents and vipers.

Then there was the time he suggested that it was better that a man have a millstone tied around his neck and be tossed in the deepest ocean rather than cause one of the little ones to stumble.

And then there was the comment to the "lawyers" of his day.

And then......

You know the more I think about it, the Son of God really tended to get ticked off at folks that twisted morality around to justify their lifestyle or personal beliefs.

[barbaram99]

I was buying a card for a bride and groom.. And it was hard to find one as they are seniors and all the cards are for young folks.. My dad and his wife ,man and woman. It aint in the stores..that card,, and I won''t buy it if it was or in future be..Nope..As Vince says* It aint in keeping with good standards*.
Yep Vince it aint..

[blackyowe]

bg2075, your comments are a bit extreme but I do agree it is a disorder and not to be celebrated. Marriage is a union of a man and a women. There must be a bride and a groom. I wish to cause no one grief but this is so and always has been and always will be. To be Gay is to cross boundries nature never meant one to cross. I am no bigot I am a realist.

[bg2075]

The sexual order of creation is clear. Male & Female belong to each other.
One doesn''t have to read the Bible to see that.
It''s obvious to anyone who respects the laws of nature that two men having having *** with each other is an internal sickness in need of treatment and cure not encouragment and promotion.
Hallmark offering Gay marriage cards is like offering greeting cards promoting tobacco for smokers with lung cancer.

[smallbizguy]

I join other Christians who are Boycotting Hallmark Stores and Hallmark Products. To put a Gay Marriage Card on the same rack with a Christian Card makes me sick.

By backing the Gay lifestyle, Hallmark is just as guilty of gay sin as the gay sinner, per the Bible.

[macoafi-2009]

"I wonder if Sodom and Gomorrah had similar cards right before they were fried up? "

For reference, Ezekiel 16:49 states:
"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."

And well, see, the angels came to destroy Sodom for those sins (greed, inhospitality) before that whole "let''s be inhospitable, contrary to Jewish law, and rape the visitors so they never want to come back" thing. So um, it has nothing at all to do with two men being in love or two women being in love. Maybe you should actually read the Bible.

[adfolder]

I wonder if Sodom and Gomorrah had similar cards right before they were fried up?

[whiskyrokkr]

This country is going down the $hitter. (no pun intended)

[cbsfan73]

Possible Ice Cream/yogurt ad:

Introducing new ***''s Delight with added E. coli to help break down the immune system.

[cbsfan73]

Diamond ring commercial:

Shows a gay man on his knees, ready to propose:

Partner says: "Not here Stan"

[cbsfan73]

Possible Dell Computer ad:

"You''re Gettin'' a Dell Dudette"

[cbsfan73]

Possible headline:

McDonald''s admits that Ronald is gay.

[cbsfan73]

Possible headline:

Hasbro to launch new gay GI Joe - to be called:

Blo-Joe

[cbsfan73]

Possible headline:

General Mills to produce new cereal called "Dingle-Berry"

[cbsfan73]

Nascar''s introduces new #69 Partner Pink car for gay fans.

Driver will be know as:
"The Constipater"

[andsab]

IRLiberal,

I''m sorry. Did I offend you? I hope so!

[andor3]

"Hallmark... just lost 90% of their business"

Funny how these fringe haters have a delusion that they are part of some huge majority. Just accept that if you hate gay people, you are a little weird, in a tiny minority, and Hallmark does not care if you buy their cards. Kinda a delightful irony is it not?

[andor3]

susi: "I have had a Gold Crown Card for years. I just threw it in the trash. I will be boycotting Hallmark stores and encourage my friends to do the same."

Why? You dislike people being in love or you think everyone should see things in your narrow way maybe? What a shame.

[lovesamerica]

It is about making money.period. divorce cards,soon gay divorce cards,I hate you cards,breakingup cards, all cater to people they effect. Halmark is just cashing in. when they start making pedophile cards and ax murder cards,I will stop buying them..wait, I don''t buy them now.I can''t afford them!!!!