J.C. Penney Refuses to Fire Ellen DeGeneres

J.C. Penney has refused to fire Ellen DeGeneres as its spokesperson, turning aside demands from an anti-gay hate group, OneMillionMoms.com, which objected to the choice of Ms. DeGeneres.

In an emailed statement yesterday, J.C. Penney said it "stands behind its partnership with Ellen DeGeneres.”

“This week Americans spoke out in overwhelming support of LGBT people and J.C. Penney’s decision not to fire Ellen simply for who she happens to love,” said Herndon Graddick, Senior Director of Programs and Communications at GLAAD, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization.

A ConsumerAffairs.com sentiment analysis of about 200,000 consumer comments on social media confirmed DeGeneres' popularity, with a net positive sentiment in the 70%-90% range over the last year.

“But while Ellen has the nation on her side, in 29 states today, Americans can still be legally fired just for being gay," Graddick said. "Our elected officials should use this incident as yet another example of the support for legal protections for all hard working employees.”

Today, Americans can be fired in 29 states because of their sexual orientation, and in 34 states because of their gender identity.

Anti-gay group

OneMillionMoms.com is a project of the American Family Association, which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

"Degeneres is not a true representation of the type of families who shop at the retailer. The small percentage of customers they are attempting to satisfy will not offset their loss in sales by offending the majority," the group said on its Web site. "Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of its customers are traditional families."

A poll on the Los Angeles Times site shows 94% of readers polled agree that DeGeners should not only maintain her post as J.C. Penney’s spokesperson, but call her “a symbol of equality.”

"Ellen DeGeneres is one of the most fun and vibrant people in entertainment today, with great warmth and a down-to-earth attitude. The millions who watch her on television and follow her through social media relate to her and trust what she has to say," said Michael Francis, president of J. C. Penney Company, Inc., as he announced her appointment last week.

"Importantly, we share the same fundamental values as Ellen," Francis said. "We couldn't think of a better partner to help us put the fun back into the retail experience."

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Sentiment analysis by NetBase