Hallmark to Include LGBTQ Storylines

NBC says upcoming Hallmark movies will include LGBTQ storylines, characters, and actors as part of a company-wide strategy to promote diversity.

Remember when conservatives and Christians went to Hallmark movies to escape most of what plays on the "other" channels?

Apparently, Hallmark is about to become one of the "others."

Be informed, not misled.

While Hallmark movies are not sophisticated, they've always been predictable and safe. But apparently no more.

NBC reported this Wednesday:

After concern that none of the 40 films Hallmark announced as part of its 2020-2021 holiday lineup included an LGBTQ lead, a representative from the company said some of the movies in its "Countdown to Christmas" and "Miracles of Christmas" programming "will include LGBTQ story lines, characters and actors."

"Diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us and we look forward to making some exciting programming announcements in the coming months, including announcements about projects featuring LGBTQ story lines, characters, and actors," wrote George Zaralidis, the vice president of network program publicity at Hallmark's parent company, Crown Media Family Networks, in an emailed statement. "We are committed to creating a Hallmark experience where everyone feels welcome."

Last December Hallmark pulled, then reinstated a Zola commercial featuring a same-sex couple kissing.

At the time, One Million Moms, a group of Christian mothers associated with American Family Association who are concerned about such things and, as needed, sponsor boycotts in support of moral, Christian values, contacted Hallmark's parent company.

Hallmark promised the "Moms" they would pull the ad---which they did. However, pressure from homosexual activists led them to reinstate the ad.

If the vice president of network programming actually believes movies with homosexual characters and storylines will "create a Hallmark experience where everyone feels welcome," he's on a fool's errand.

I think he knows the Christian community will not watch those homosexual themed movies. He probably also knows the network may be boycotted by a group like The Million Moms for a period of time, but believes people of faith will watch the movies that are family-oriented with traditional relationships, and simply avoid the homosexual movies. Thus having it both ways.

If Hallmark actually follows through with this commitment, they will lose a substantial part of their Christian viewers, and they won't gain back those numbers of viewers from the homosexual community---unless Hallmark makes the homosexual movies very explicit, because there are a number of other channels already running "gay-themed" movies.

Apparently, the 2020-2021 films are completed, but the 2021 forward films will represent the "new Hallmark."

Hallmark has deep roots in Christianity. In fact, the founder, Joyce C. Hall, was named after a Methodist bishop, Issac W. Joyce, who happened to be visiting their church the Sunday Joyce was born---thus the first name "Joyce." His parents were poor, but his parents were godly people.

At 9 years old, Joyce began selling perfume door to door in their small home town of David City, Nebraska.

When the Hall family moved to Norfolk, Nebraska, Joyce began working in his brother's bookstore after school. When he was 16, he and two of his brothers pooled their money and opened the Norfolk Post Card Company, but there wasn't much of a market and the venture failed.

Joyce, at 18, dropped out of high school, crammed two shoeboxes full of postcards, and boarded a train to Kansas City. He began calling on bookstores and drugstores wholesaling products made by others. Soon his brother Rollie joined him, things were going well. They began going to other towns where the railroad went---calling on new customers. Soon they opened a specialty store in downtown Kansas City, dealing in postcards, gifts, books, and stationary.

Five years and one day after they opened their store, it burned to the ground. The entire inventory was lost. The brothers got a loan and bought an engraving firm, setting the stage for the creation of the first original Hallmark card designs.

In 1923, they formed Hall Brothers, Inc. The predecessor to today's Hallmark---a loved, trusted family-centered business built on the phrase, "When You Care Enough."



Last Christmas Hallmark channel led all cable channels in viewers except for sports and news, with an average of more than 1.7 million viewers per evening. During the same period, Fox News had 3.1 million and CNN had 1.5 million.

Joyce spoke often of "God's blessing." His children and grandchildren currently run the company.

The question now is, do "they care enough" to stay the course, or will they jump ship as Chick-fil-A has done and cave to the threats of homosexual activists?

Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Faithful. Be Prayerful.