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JCPenney under fire for Father’s Day ad

Posted at 7:58 PM, Jun 15, 2012
and last updated 2012-06-15 21:26:32-04

(WTVR) - JCPenney is under fire again from conservative family groups. This time it's for featuring a same-sex couple in one of its Father's Day ads.

The couple featured in the new ad says its big step forward for gay families, but the American Family Association says it's just bad business.

"If this campaign is going to backfire on anybody it's going to backfire on JC Penney," says Bryan Fisher. "JC Penney is catering to 2% of the American population, and running the risk of offending the other 98% of the people that they want to shop at their stores. It's just bad business."

JCPenney faced harsh criticism from Christian conservatives for choosing openly-gay talk show host Ellen DeGeneres as their spokesperson.

Meanwhile, American Apparel is using transgendered models. Marriott Hotels is celebrating gay pride. Then there is Gap, Urban Outfitters, and the Discover America travel ad with a gay male couple.

Johnson & Johnson and Walgreens have even enlisted Ellen's mother Betty DeGeneres.