Macy's removes
pride display over antigay complaints

A display acknowledging Boston's gay pride week was removed from a Macy's department store window after an antigay group complained it was offensive, the Associated Press reports. The display at the downtown Boston store featured two male mannequins, with one wearing a gay pride rainbow flag around his waist, next to a list of several planned Boston Pride Week events.

According to the Boston Herald, the antigay group MassResistance, which has campaigned against same-sex marriage and gay-themed textbooks in public schools, objected to the display and said the mannequin wearing the flag had a "skirt" on.

The group posted pictures on its Web site, and scores of its supporters complained to Macy's by phone and e-mail.

Elina Kazan, a Macy's spokeswoman, said the store decided to remove the mannequins but leave the list of events in order to strike a balance. Displays in previous years did not use mannequins. "We believe in diversity, and our customers are very important to us," Kazan told the Herald. "But [the display] did offend a few of our customers, and we had to reexamine it." (The Advocate)