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.

[msay3]

Well, well, well.....Halmark, the halmark of family events has knuckled under.....What a shame!!!

[mensarino]

Just watch the haters show up and voice their displeasure.Hey,you don''t like the cards,don''t buy one!!

[jediservant]

No more Hallmark cards or movies for me.

[cbsfan73]

Possible card:

On your first night together...

Use this complimentary blister pack of butt lubricant!

[underdogus87]

ROMANS 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lust of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves....Because there is no National repentance,we are simply waiting for the judgments to come.It would be stupid to think a Nation that despises God will have peace and prosperity

[mensarino]

Told you so ---first the haters show up,then the holy rollers chanting their voodoo.jeeez!

[cbsfan73]

Hallmark will probably call me today and ask me to join the team.

Somebody else with a sense of humor please chip in some creativity!

[credibility2]

This is just a tactic fro Hallmark to make money. There are plenty of relevant cards with sentiments any person can use for any occasion. Hallmark''s pandering will possibly cost them a portion of their base, especially since there are other greeting card companies with products to choose from.

[gop_forever]

Credibility2, yes and queers by a lot of greeting cards so they can help each other escape reality.

[cbsfan73]

Possible ad from Immodium AD:

"Don''t let diarrhea spoil that special night together"

[txlatino]

gop_forever - Before you post, please read your message out loud to yourself to see if it makes any sense. This was something I learned in second grade so that I would not sound ignorant when trying to convey my message. Also, you may want to consider using Microsoft Word or some other spell check program to correct any spelling errors you may have. Secondly if your not sure what the word means, don%u2019t use it.

[txlatino]

cbsfan73 - Are you sure your not in the closet? Seems like you have a deep insight on what goes on in a couples bedroom.

[cbsfan73]

GOp_FOreVEr''s man probably put it in the wrong hole by accident (Or was it?) one time before. Since then she has been anti ***.

[cbsfan73]

TxLatino surmised:
"cbsfan73 - Are you sure your not in the closet? Seems like you have a deep insight on what goes on in a couples bedroom."

I was just guessing but sounds like you are acknowledging that I am right.

[gop_forever]

xmanborg, you are jealous because God loves me more than he loves you.

[gop_forever]

TxLatino surmised:
"cbsfan73 - Are you sure your not in the closet? Seems like you have a deep insight on what goes on in a couples bedroom."
I was just guessing but sounds like you are acknowledging that I am right. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Posted by cbsfan73
==============================
I wouldnt know because I LIVE A CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE.

[mensarino]

gopforever---I do not!!

[txlatino]

cbsfan73 - Seems pretty accurate to me to say the least. I can almost guarantee that you dream about the same ***. By the way its okay to deny it, more then likely you will. But previous research suggest that the ones who are the most homophobic are more then likely to be homosexuals to begin with.

[nlm2383]

That''s awesome, I''m glad to hear that they''re finally recongnizing gay marriages and unions...

[hwy71so]

Hallmark. One more company that won''t be getting my money.

See ya!

The one that I love
is dear to my heart
17 short years gone
we''re never to part

A Hallmark you won''t see
come from my hands
As you are a woman
and I am a man

A cat has a meow
a dog has a bark
and this world''s abomination
now has Hallmark

[cbsfan73]

To TxLatino:
Sorry to spoil your fantasy but I am a happily married man with a perfectly normal son :)

[pirmin3]

"I wouldnt know because I LIVE A CLEAN CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE."

Ahh, you boofu little boys then to keep your women virgins.

[beader59]

These posts are so full of angry, hate-filled ignorant people. I am sure Hallmark would be glad to lose your business anyway. You better start checking every company you buy from before you decide to boycott on one issue. Most companies have "agendas" that I am sure you wouldn''t approve of, or are you just a homophobe which equals stupid in my mind. By-the-way, *** and lesbians probably have touched the same cards you bought. Better sanitize yourself.

[mensarino]

Beader59---Amen

[nolalou]

Sorry Hallmark, you can go cater to the radical homosexual agenda. I won''''t stop you. But I also won''''t be stopping in to buy my cards from you anymore.
Posted by ritewingman

The only ''radical homosexual agenda'' is they want to be treated as fairly as everyone else! What''s so radical about that? How in any way does that pose a threat to you or your marriage?

[ggrape]

AAhhh, as I read the rants from all these conservative buffoons, I can''t help but smile. Nothing makes a day brighter than seeing those conservative Nazis getting all riled up. I hope they''re eating plenty of crow!!!

[cbsfan73]

I wonder if the churches will circulate fliers and e-mails asking their members to boycott Hallmark.

[cbsfan73]

mnmaid wrote:
"getoffmine and cbsfan73 sure seem to have anal obsessions. I feel sorry for your wives. Ouch"

Come one now, lighten up a little. It''s just "poking" fun.

[cbsfan73]

Possible ad for condoms:

"Leave the dirty work to us"

or

"We protect you from all kinds of krap"

[kazoodan]

Sorry Hallmark, you can go cater to the radical homosexual agenda. I won''''t stop you. But I also won''''t be stopping in to buy my cards from you anymore.

Posted by ritewingman at 10:30 AM : Aug 21, 2008

====

Yeah, you sound like someone who buys a lot of cards.

[cbsfan73]

I am the horse
You are the cow
If you try this
It''s gonna be POW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn598eqFjcQ&feature=related

[kazoodan]

BOUSH-HIT!!! Show me your Polygamy Card Lineup, you lying sacks of horse carp!

Posted by DaVicar2 at 11:43 AM : Aug 21, 2008

------

I believe polygamy is illegal.

[erikdc-2009]

I like the folks who say they''ll boycott Hallmark now, while companies like AT&T, Wells Fargo and Pacific Gas & Electric gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to help defeat Proposition 8 in California.

But if you rights wingers want to continue to boycott every company that support gay rights, it''s OK. You''ll just end up living in a house with no electricity, no phone and have your money stuffed under a mattress!

Microsoft is a big gay rights supporter too, so there goes your computer. Throw it out the window now! (Oh, don''t think about switching to Apple either, they scored a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign''s equality index too.)

Other companies to score a 100 on HRC''s index?
Aetna
American Airlines
American Express
Anheuser-Busch
Bank of America
Best Buy
Boeing
Capitol One
Chevron
Chrysler
Citigroup
Clear Channel Communications
Coca-Cola
Dell
Disney
Eastman Kodak
Ford
General Motors
Hewlett-Packard
IBM
Intel
JP Morgan Chase
Johnson & Johnson
Kaiser Permanente
Kraft
Levi Strauss
MasterCard
MetLife
Motorola
Pepsi
Pfizer
Prudential Financial
Sears
Sprint
Starbucks
Toyota
Time Warner
UPS
US Airways
Viacom
Visa
Walgreens
Xerox
Yahoo!

And those are just a few big names I plucked off the list. It''s way too many to type here. So good luck with that boycott.

I''d suggest just burning you''re money!

[mensarino]

Ahh the vicar shows up to spread his daily venom---what a sad, pathetic and lonely creature

[danito123]

Anything to make money! What a sick society!

[dmorgan4u]

Sodomites God will burn them up! repent

[kazoodan]

Besides, sodomy is illegal too!

Posted by DaVicar2 at 11:48 AM : Aug 21, 2008

The supreme court ruled otherwise, striking down a Texas
sodomy law as unconstitutional.

[mountainzen]

That''s pretty gay...

[haoli25]

''Sorry about the hemorrhoids, no lovin'' tonight!''



lmao

[kazoodan]

shows how much of a double standard there is

Posted by getoffmine at 11:50 AM : Aug 21, 2008

Hey, I personally have nothing against polygamy, but it is illegal. Imagine Hallmark selling cards for drug dealers.

''I hope that eightball I scored for you was up to snuff!''

[redbds]

Why is this a story? Who cares? This is just CBS News doing it''s part to support the Homosexualization of America.

[cbsfan73]

Preparation H ad:

"Healing and lubrication all in one tube"

[amax83]

Vicar it seems to me that you have alot of hatred for ***. Maybe you need to try a little acceptence starting with yourself.

[amax83]

Why is this a story? Who cares? This is just CBS News doing it''''s part to support the Homosexualization of America.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by redbds


obviously you do you read and chatting it up.

[nextgenman]

HAHAHAHAHA! The Little House on the Prairie Channel is selling samesex love cards....!

[amax83]

Guess I''''ll by the store brand of cards from now on.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by bob5ford at 12:01


then I will start buying only Hallmarks from now on.

[kazoodan]

WASHINGTON %u2014 The Supreme Court voted 6-3 on Thursday to strike down a Texas law that banned *** between homosexuals, a decision that was an unprecedented show of respect for gay men and lesbians.

Reversing a 1986 ruling that upheld anti-sodomy laws, the court''s majority said the Texas law violated privacy rights. The decision changes the legal landscape for *** by declaring that the Constitution''s guarantee of liberty forbids government from targeting their sexual practices.

The ruling also could help gay men and lesbians in legal disputes that arise from moral disapproval, whether on the job, in child-custody cases or over inheritance claims. The anti-sodomy laws in Texas and 12 other states invalidated Thursday rarely were enforced. But they, and the 1986 ruling, have been cited by courts to deny gay parents custody of their children or to reject bias claims by gay workers.

[mensarino]

DaVicar---If you only knew your facts!!A supreme court ruling negates all state laws contrary to its ruling.Get educated!!

[iuphockey12]

Hallmark blows...No pun intended

[kazoodan]

Vicar it seems to me that you have alot of hatred for ***. Maybe you need to try a little acceptence starting with yourself.

Posted by amax83 at 12:00 PM : Aug 21, 2008


I believe he already does that in the bathroom.