A popular TV channel once known for its wholesome movies has succumbed to the pressures of the secular world.
Its very first movie to feature blatant same-sex topics is creating a firestorm of controversy among its Christian, conservative audience.
One Christian grandmother laments, “[this] used to be a safe place for Christian women and families… it no longer is.”
Hallmark Channel’s newest movie, “Wedding Every Weekend,” debuted on Aug. 15 and has re-aired several times in the last month.
The movie has a familiar Hallmark theme, with Nate, a single man, and Brooke, a single women, falling in love after attending the same weddings over four consecutive weekends.
One of the weddings, though, features a same-sex “marriage” between Vicky (played by Carmel Amit) and Amanda (played by Makayla Moore).
The lesbian couple is shown holding hands early in the movie and then kissing at the conclusion of their wedding.
Their intimate scene prompts Nate (played by Paul Campbell) to exclaim: “That ceremony was beautiful … I cried so hard.”
The movie was the most watched Hallmark movie of the summer and was widely celebrated by the homosexual and entertainment communities.
“It really reflects the world we live in now. It’s exciting to celebrate love in all its forms,” Moore said.
But the reaction among Hallmark Channel’s core audience was much different.
“SCV Watcher,” who describes herself as a “Christian baby boomer grandmother,” tweeted: “Very disappointed in Hallmark Channel. I feel like I’m losing a best friend. Used to be a safe place for Christian women and families to enjoy a movie. After watching ‘wedding every weekend’ it no longer is.”
OneMillionMoms, a division of the American Family Association, went even further and started a petition that threatens to boycott Hallmark Channel and other Hallmark products if the company continues to air homosexual programming.
As of today, the petition has been signed by more than 70,000 people.
OneMillionMoms says the network’s core audience “feels betrayed by Hallmark.”
“The once conservative network has recently caved to LGBTQ pressure and has done a one-eighty from the wholesome content the channel once aired, and the network is now catering to the Left,” the petition states.
“Hallmark Channel was one of the remaining channels that families could watch without being bombarded by politically correct commercials and the LGBTQ agenda.”
The petition, which is still active, goes on to state that, “Such content goes against conservative values that are important to your primary audience. You will lose viewers if you cave to the LBGTQ agenda.”
“Our family will change the channel and boycott Hallmark — the channel and Hallmark products — as long as the network surrenders to the LGBTQ agenda and airs controversial topics.”
OneMillionMoms, whose goal is to stop the exploitation of children by the entertainment industry, protested last year when Hallmark Channel aired a wedding commercial that showed two women kissing.
Hallmark Channel initially pulled the commercial, but after criticism on social media, CEO Mike Perry issued an apology and began re-airing them.
The network relented to the homosexual community again earlier this year after releasing its list of 2020 Christmas movies.
After complaints that the Christmas lineup did not feature any pro-homosexual storylines, Crown Media Family Networks, Hallmark’s parent company, pledged to include more gay and lesbian programming.
“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 storylines, characters, and actors,” said vice president of network publicity at Crown Media, George Zaralidis.
After the debut of “Wedding Every Weekend,” Hallmark released a statement saying, “We are proud of our movie … . Our priority at Hallmark Channel is to develop a broad mix of content, characters and stories in order to create a Hallmark experience where everyone feels welcome.”
The statement was immediately met with criticism from long-time viewers.
“No. You’re lying,” one viewer tweeted, “because not everyone feels welcome anymore. It’s no longer a family network.”
The battle between Hallmark Channel and its conservative, family-oriented audience is sure to continue as the network airs more diverse and controversial programming.
To support OneMillionMoms and sign their petition, visit https://onemillionmoms.com/current-campaigns/hallmark-is-loud-and-proud-about-its-lead-gay-characters-sign-boycott-petition/