Father’s Day card causes outrage by using ‘homophobic’ slur
(@LGBT_Activist / Twitter)
A greeting cards company has been heavily criticised for using a homophobic slur on a Father’s Day card.
On Friday, father-of-two Marcos Gomez recently spotted a controversial Father’s Day card in a Los Angeles convenience store.
Made by American Greetings, the card stated in bright red letters that “fatherhood is not for sissies.”
It was quickly shared in a gay fathering Facebook group, and was immediately criticised by users for the use of the word “sissy.”
(Marcos Gomez)
Gomez was “stunned” by the card, and told PinkNews: “My first thought was ‘what would our children think and feel if they saw this.’
“The word ‘sissy’ is still attached intrinsically to the LGBTQI community, for those who’d defend its use on this card saying it’s meant to say it’s that it’s only saying that it’s not for the feeble or the weak are willfully choosing to ignore what the word is associated with.
“The card reeks of toxic masculinity, the kind that young boys end up imitating with screams of ‘be a man’ and the viewing of anyone gay or female as generally as weak and at their disposal.”
Related: 13 Amazing cards for gay dads this Fathers’ Day!
Gomez continued: “Considering everything that’s happened in the last two years here in the US, it’s not surprising in retrospect that this card exists but it is still nonetheless sickening that it does.”
The card was later tweeted by author Eric Rosswood who called the card homophobic, which began to draw wider criticism of the card manufacturer, American Greetings.
(@LGBT_Activist /Twitter)
“Hey @amgreetings your card is homophobic. Why the slur? Proud #Gaydad here wondering if I ever need to buy an American Greetings card again,” Rosswood wrote.
Related: A supermarket is selling a gender-neutral Mother’s Day card and people aren’t happy
Explaining his problems with the card, the author of LGBT parenting books told PinkNews: “The word “sissy” is used as a put down to tell males that they are effeminate, and it’s done in a way that says being effeminate is less than. Similar to the way people say, “you throw like a girl” as if girls are bad at throwing a ball.
“We live in a time where states are still passing laws to prevent LGBT people from adopting and becoming parents so seeing this is not cool.”
The Family Equality Council, a group that advocates for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families described the card as “disappointing.”
(@family_equality / Twitter)
The group wrote: “That’s disappointing, especially from a company whose Twitter bio says they’re “…working to make the world a more thoughtful and caring place every single day.”
Many people have criticised the card on social media, with several highlighting how “sissy” had been used as a homophobic slur against them.
(@paws1948 /Twitter)
“Dreadful use of a slur that ruined many moments of my childhood in the 50’s. Still pains me at 70 to hear and see that word.”
Others directly criticised American Greetings, which also owns greeting card companies Clintons and Carlton Cards.
(@AlanaOldham /Twitter)
“Terrible word choice. Shame on them.”
(@HisMajesty /Twitter)
“I have had many sissy fathers and I would not be the same without them. Shame on American Greetings.”
American Greetings did not return a request for comment from PinkNews.
