Current Affairs

Renamed Ben and Jerry’s flavour backs equal marriage in the UK

Mar 13 2012
Written by Stephen Gray

Ice cream giant Ben and Jerry’s has announced today it will be changing the name of one of its ice cream flavours in the UK in support of equal marriage rights for gays.

Oh! My! Apple Pie! will become Apple-y Ever After and tubs will feature a gay couple atop a wedding cake decorated with rainbows.

The ice cream maker is also teaming up with Stonewall to launch a new Facebook app today that asks users to ‘marry’ each other online.

‘Proposing’ through Ben and Jerry’s, users can voice their support for marriage equality and add their name to a letter to prime minister David Cameron backing the move.

Laura Doughty, Stonewall’s Deputy CEO says “We’re truly moved by Ben and Jerry’s support for same-sex marriage in Britain.

“All people want is to call their long-term relationship by the same name as everyone else. Our strong advice to those who disapprove of same-sex marriage is just not to get married to someone of the same sex.”

Ilaria Ida, Ben & Jerry’s European Social Mission Manager said: “This is a proud day for Ben & Jerry’s when we can show our support for a cause that’s at the core of our values.”

In 2009, Ben and Jerry’s renamed their Chubby Hubby ice cream flavour Hubby Hubby in Vermont in celebration of the legalisation of gay marriages.

Ice cream is a magnet for controversy. An ad for a new Antonio Federici flavour which showed two priests about to kiss has been banned after it was ruled to be offensive to Catholics. The Advertising Standards Authority said the picture was likely to cause “serious offence”.

The UK government’s consultation on how to implement marriage equality for gay couples is due to launch this week.

Stonewall published a draft Parliamentary Bill earlier this year to extend the legal form of marriage to same-sex couples, which it hopes will be included in the Queen’s Speech in May.