Anti-Gay Group Bashes Tony the Tiger Ad As Not so 'Grrrrreat'

Seeing nothing “grrrrreat” about an ad placed by Michigan-based Kellogg Co. that features Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger supporting gay rights, the conservative, Christian-based American Family Association is lashing out on Facebook.

The Tony the Tiger ad encourages members of the gay community to, “Wear your stripes with pride,” and includes the tagline: “At Kellogg, we’re an evolving culture that respects and accepts employees’ sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression so that all employees can be authentic and fully engaged.”

Kellogg launched the ad in celebration of a string of workplace accomplishments, including a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and its inclusion on a list of the Top 50 companies for Diversity by DiversityInc.

The company was also a major sponsor of the Atlanta Gay Pride march, further inciting the Tupelo, MS-based American Family Association. After the organization, which touts its supports support of “traditional” moral values, mocked the ad on Facebook page, its fans unleashed a stream of invective that included statements such as:

“What they’ve done to Tony is thoroughly disgusting. They won’t stop until every comic character in the world is homosexual. Criminal is what it is. So sad.”

“... Someone’s comment above about not being able to buy anything without supporting the sinfulness of gays, lesbians, transgendered, makes me stop and think. Could this issue have something to do with the ‘mark’ of the beast? I don’t know. But it might be something to think about. The lifestyle is certainly anti-Christian. And another thing: Why did they have to take God’s symbol of the rainbow and turn it around to be for Satan’s lifestyles?”

“Tony the Tiger needs to be worrying about kid nutrition, not adult sex lives. This is pervy.”

The 900-plus comments also drew kudos for the international food corporation. Several people noted policies that allow employees to be their authentic selves reflect a growing cultural shift in the United States.

One rant noted that for consistency’s sake, those saying they will no longer buy Kellogg products should also jettison products manufactured by about 5,000 companies.

“ … Just think of all of those obscure companies with so many multiple brands and products to keep our hard earned money away from! Sounds like a full-time job to me!” one person commented.

Ed Vitagliano, the AFA’s research director, told The Christian Post his group just wants businesses to remain neutral on the issue of same-sex marriage.

“We don’t expect them to take our side but we don’t expect them to support groups that want to legalize same-sex marriage,” Vitagliano said. “So we let our followers and supporters know because these companies rely on the patronage of their customers; and there are a lot of people who, in their own states, voted to keep marriage between one man and one woman. I don’t think they appreciate knowing that the companies they buy products from are working against that.”

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• Would a company’s public support for LGBT equality make you more or less likely to buy its products or patronize the business?

Those states include Michigan, where a voter-backed 2004 amendment to the state Constitution defined marriage as one man and one woman. The ban was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge this spring, but a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld states’ rights to decide such issues.

Mark King, head of global diversity for Kellogg Co., said in a statement to The Huffington Post that the backlash has not diluted the company’s commitment to diversity.

“Kellogg is firmly committed to diversity and inclusion and puts a tremendous amount of effort toward ensuring equality through our policies, benefits and culture,” King said. “We are honored to have been named a Top 50 company for Diversity by DiversityInc, and for achieving a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.”

One of the world’s largest producers of cereals, cookies, crackers and snacks, Kellogg Co. employs 30,000 people worldwide and has annual sales of $14.5 billion. The company was founded in Battle Creek in 1906 by W.K. Kellogg.

See Also:

Gay Man Sues Physician Network after Manhattan Beach Doctor Labels His Orientation a ‘Chronic Condition’

Supreme Court Clears Way For Gay Marriage In Virginia, 4 Other States