Connect with us

Same-Sex Marriage: HRC Wants Your Wedding Registry To Be Their Cash Cow?

Published

on

HRC, the Human Rights Campaign, is an ardent supporter of marriage equality for same-sex couples. But now, it seems, HRC is supporting marriage equality so both same-sex and opposite-sex weddings can benefit HRC’s coffers. In a new marketing campaign, HRC writes, “Instead of the usual toasters and cake mixers, HRC is partnering with couples across the state of New York and all around the nation to create HRC Wedding Registries where couples can encourage their friends and families to support the work of LGBT equality in honor of a wedding celebration.”

Shameless.

HRC actually wants to use same-sex couples’ wedding registries as their corporate credit card.

HRC knows no shame — and this crosses a very big line.

At The New Civil Rights Movement, we support marriage equality as a concept because it’s the right thing to do, and because we believe in supporting our community. We focus on the morality of equality, not the financial benefits that accompany equality because people marry for love, not tax benefits. Positioning marriages as vehicles to make money is shameless. To have HRC, “the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization,” look at marriage equality as a cash cow, an opportunity to add to their coffers, not a civil rights issue but a money-making opportunity really is offensive.

There are many within our community that like to bash HRC. I, for one, tend to find that counter-productive, but when they cross the line, as they have done here, they need to be told.

HRC’s new site, “Millions for Marriage Equality Wedding Registry” sounds like something their accountants made up. Are the “Millions” people or dollars? The site isn’t even hosted by HRC, but by their marketing partner, Convio.

Convio states, “In 2010 alone, our clients used Convio software and services to raise more than $1.3 billion dollars online, send more than 4 billion emails, power more than 32 million advocacy actions and manage relationships with more than 248 million constituents.”

We have to wonder, is HRC a marketing organization, or a civil rights lobby group?

Had HRC hosted it as a service, perhaps even with the purchase of an HRC membership, and not had their fundraising partner Convio host the site as a temporary money-maker, perhaps it might be easier to embrace the idea. Certainly many couples would like the opportunity to forgo gifts in lieu of a donation made in their name. But this goes to far. It’s not just what HRC has done, but how they did it.

Michael Cole-Schwartz, HRC’s Press Secretary, in an email exchange told me, “Our wedding registry is a voluntary way for couples (both same- and opposite-sex) who are getting married to contribute to the marriage equality fight. Many couples request that in lieu of gifts, people celebrating their wedding by donating to a charity and our program is no different than other organizations including Empire State Pride Agenda that is running a similar program. We have had a wedding registry feature available for years and it has been tremendously successful judging by the reaction we get from couples who were thrilled to be able to contribute in this way.”

He adds, “Secondly, winning these fights takes resources.  HRC spent $1 million on our NY effort including employing 30 field organizers around the state that helped generate more than 150K constituent contacts to Senators.  Resources are going to be required in other places facing these fights and for those that wish to use their wedding as an opportunity to fund future equality efforts, our wedding registry provide an easy opportunity.”

Yes, it takes money to move equality forward, especially when our anti-equality opponents are spending oodles of cash from unnamed donors and from the very deep pockets of the religious right and the Catholic Church. But when you try to use my wedding for your credit card, that takes the sanctity out of marriage and tells me it’s not about marriage, it’s about cash.

HRC needs to drop this campaign and apologize to the LGBT community for treating our weddings and our marriages so callously. A wedding and a marriage are not marketing opportunities. They are solemn, often spiritual occasions that deserve more respect than HRC has shown them.

And you know, right now, I’d rather give my money to Williams-Sonoma than to Solmonese & Co.

There's a reason 10,000 people subscribe to NCRM. You can get the news before it breaks just by subscribing, plus you can learn something new every day.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment
 
 

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.

NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

News

Congressman Conway? Top Trump Critic Reportedly Eyeing House Bid

Published

2 hours ago

on

November 13, 2025

By

George Conway, the prominent attorney, Trump critic, and ex-husband of former Trump White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway, may be considering a run for Congress.

According to a report at CNN and a post by New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni, Conway is eyeing a run for retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler’s New York district.

CNN reported that Conway, 62, is “actively considering running for Congress from New York City, a source familiar with the matter tells CNN.”

Karni reported, “the Conway pitch being — what the House will need next year is an aggressive lawyer with an investigative background just going after Trump.”

READ MORE: Melania Trump to Appear With President as Epstein Files Take Center Stage

Conway is a former Republican who became an independent in 2018. He has a law degree from Yale, and successfully argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, obtaining a unanimous ruling. He is a co-founder of The Lincoln Project and currently co-hosts a podcast at The Bulwark.

Should Democrats retake the majority in the House of Representatives, it’s likely there will be numerous investigations into President Donald Trump and his administration — not to mention possible efforts to impeach the unpopular and controversial Commander in Chief.

Conway would have good company in a primary.

“Jack Schlossberg, former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson, entered the race this week,” CNN noted.

The Daily Beast adds that “much of the buzz around Conway stems from his personal life. While he and his 58-year-old ex-wife, Kellyanne, tried to make their marriage work amid his dramatic political realignment, the couple frequently made headlines. As Kellyanne served as senior counselor to Trump from 2017 to 2020, her husband routinely sounded off on her boss and advisers—including Stephen Miller, whom Kellyanne referred to as one of her ‘best friends’ in the current administration earlier this month.”

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

 

Image by Presia Debauch via Flickr and a CC license

Continue Reading

News

Melania Trump to Appear With President as Epstein Files Take Center Stage

Published

5 hours ago

on

November 13, 2025

By

First Lady Melania Trump will make a rare appearance with President Donald Trump as the Epstein files crisis continues to take center stage.

The President has been all but radio silent for almost a full day, with the exception of a Wednesday Oval Office appearance where he took no questions from reporters.

“President Trump will be joined by First Lady Melania Trump in the East Room for an executive order signing aimed at expanding opportunities for education, career development, housing, and other resources for young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt said the initiative is “part of the First Lady’s Fostering the Future efforts, which are a Be Best initiative.”

“In May,” Newsmax reported, “Melania Trump announced a $25 million investment from the Trump administration to support youth aging out of foster care.”

Recently, the President and First Lady appeared together in the United Kingdom at state visit events in September. That month they also appeared together at a 9/11 event at the Pentagon. Late last month they hosted a White House Halloween event.

Thursday’s event is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

 

Continue Reading

News

‘Out of Touch’: Eric Trump Blasted for $500 Million Bitcoin Brag

Published

6 hours ago

on

November 13, 2025

By

Eric Trump, President Donald Trump’s son in charge of the family’s real estate empire, is under fire for bragging about millions of dollars of bitcoin as millions of Americans struggle to put food on the table, after his father urged the Supreme Court to allow him to not fund SNAP during the shutdown.

Millions of Americans found their SNAP accounts unfunded on November 1. SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps about 42 million Americans buy groceries. Most people who use SNAP are elderly, children, disabled, or working more than one job.

“There’s no reason, at 5 o’clock, on a Friday afternoon, you should, you know, I should be able to send out a SWIFT wire transfer,” the middle Trump son lamented to Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo. “You know, right now, you can’t.”

READ MORE: White House Eyes Major Blitz as GOP Voters Blame Trump for Failing Economy

“I try and make a transfer every single week, and you’re trying to push before the 5 o’clock deadline to either receive money or to get it out. How is that modern day finance?” he complained.

“You can send $500 million worth of Bitcoin on a Sunday night at, you know, at 11:00 p.m. while having a glass of wine with your wife,” Trump explained. “For virtually zero fees.”

“You know, how is the system this lethargic? Why does it take you 120 days to get a, you know, go through, Know Your Customer with your bank? If you want to get a home mortgage, it doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “Cryptocurrency is gonna fix every single one of these issues, and Bitcoin is digital gold.”

“Bitcoin is going to be one of the greatest stores of value we’ve ever seen,” he concluded.

Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with the Trump economy, polls show. Inflation has been on the rise, as have prices at the supermarket. The average cost of a car is now over $50,000. Major corporations have announced or are planning to lay off thousands — or even tens of thousands — of workers. Unemployment is estimated to be up, to a four-year high, per the most recent data. Consumer confidence has dropped to a near-record low. There is a possibility that some parts of the country may already be in a recession, according to one economist.

Critics blasted Trump’s remarks.

READ MORE: ‘Utter Detachment From Reality’: Expert Breaks Down Trump’s Economic Policy Flaws

“Just like every normal American does,” The Bulwark’s Colin Jones sarcastically remarked.

“Is that before or after you figure out how you’re going to feed your family without the SNAP payments his father went to the Supreme Court to suspend? Or pay the health care costs his administration has made sure to skyrocket? I just want to get the sequencing right,” wrote Franklin Leonard, founder of the Black List.

“I’m just like Eric. Except on my Sunday nights I’m trying to order my Instacart for the family while the low grade gummy kicks in,” wrote The Bulwark’s Sam Stein.

“Don’t let anyone tell you the Trumps are out of touch with rising costs,” remarked MSNBC’s Matt Fuller.

“Starting to think they may not understand what families going through with higher prices…” commented communications professional Eddie Vale.

“These are the same people who blast Zohran Mamdani for caring about affordability,” noted The Friendly Atheist’s Hemant Mehta.

READ MORE: Trump Stumbles Over ‘God Bless America’ Lyrics at Veterans Day Ceremony

 

Image via Shutterstock

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2020 AlterNet Media.