Turning America Into a Toy Store

The Southern Baptist Convention in June 1997 generated a lot of media attention when it called for a boycott of the Disney Company for promoting “immoral ideologies such as homosexuality.” The Southern Baptists were angry because Disney sponsors “Gay Days” at its theme parks, provides health benefits to the domestic partners of gay employees, and publishes books about growing up gay. According to Herb Hilliger, a convention spokesman, the last straw came in April with the lead character of the sitcom Ellen had the audacity to come out as a lesbian on the Disney-owned ABC.1.