US: Hallmark introduces ‘two mums’ Mother’s Day card
Card manufacturer Hallmark has introduced a Mother’s Day card for people with lesbian parents.
It reads: “Mums do it all, and they do it with ease. From helping with homework to bandaging knees.
“When it comes to big hearts, mums are second to none, how does anyone ever get by with just one?”
Greeting Card Association spokesperson Kathy Krassner told Today: “With last year’s Supreme Court ruling bolstering gay marriage, more companies are offering same-sex wedding cards, and we’re likely to see an increase in same-sex cards for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day going forward.”
Analyst Brandon Ruiz said that Hallmark had long been a trendsetter on inclusive cards, including cards for stepmothers, birth mothers and adoptive mothers.
He said: “I think Hallmark, in particular, has that ‘first mover’ advantage
“They’ve been the trend-setter in the industry. They’re being more specific and they’re trying to cast a wider net, so to speak.”
In 2008 the company released a range of cards celebrating same-sex marriages, after they began to be performed in Massachusetts.
Defending the move, they said: “Hallmark created this year’s Holiday Sweater ornament in the spirit of fun. When the lyrics to ‘Deck the Halls’ were translated from Gaelic and published in English back in the 1800s, the word ‘gay’ meant festive or merry.
“Today it has multiple meanings, which we thought could leave our intent open to misinterpretation.
“The trend of wearing festively decorated Christmas sweaters to parties is all about fun, and this ornament is intended to play into that, so the planning team decided to say what we meant: ‘fun’.
“That’s the spirit we intended and the spirit in which we hope ornament buyers will take it.”
