JC Penney stands by Ellen Degeneres - rebuffs hate group

Via GLAAD: Last week, retail giant J.C. Penney announced a new partnership with America's favorite talk-show host, Ellen DeGeneres.

“We share the same fundamental values as Ellen,” noted the company's President, Michael Francis. “At jcpenney, we couldn't think of a better partner to help us put the fun back into the retail experience.”

Now, however, the anti-gay group "OneMillionMoms.com, a project of the American Family Association" – an organization designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) – has launched a campaign demanding that the retailer fire Ellen simply because she's gay. According to SPLC, "hate groups have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."

“DeGeneres is not a true representation of the type of families that shop at their store,” says the group.

But a majority of Americans disagree. Today, more people than ever celebrate the love of every family – gay or straight – and know that no person should be ridiculed, much less fired, simply for being who they are. Even today, Americans can be fired in 29 states for being gay and in 34 states for being transgender.

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Among her many accolades, Ellen received the People's Choice Award for Favorite Daytime TV Host earlier this month. She has also served as a spokesperson for American Express and Cover Girl, among others.

Click here to voice your support for Ellen and JC Penney.