Abigail Garner
Sep 28th, 2006
Sep 28th, 2006
Ikea’s latest flavor: a queer family commercial.
If you blink, you’ll miss it. I mean that literally.
In this Ikea commercial, sofa covers of various colors splash on the screen. An announcer asks: “Why shouldn’t sofas come in flavors…just like families?”
And at the last split second you see a young teen Asian girl, sitting on the floor in front of a sofa, cuddled sweetly with two men — one Black, one Asian/biracial — presumably her dads.
It’s beautiful.
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UPDATE 1/27/2007: Comments to this post are now closed. I have posted my reasons for this decision as the final comment at the bottom of this comment thread.
37 Responses to “Ikea’s latest flavor: a queer family commercial.”
[...] Update: One more reason to shop at IKEA. Abigail at Damn Straight points out that the company’s latest U. S. commercial includes a same-sex family. [...]
It sucks, the commercial gasps for air; IKEA, do not ask me to buy your product and at the same time reinforce IKEA’s marketing view. I ain’t havin’ it! And I am not going to buy IKEA. Matter of fact, a friend asked me to pickup a couch with my truck. No way,… she may have cancelled the sale due to that commercial. That is no family, that is a mess. But any support to accommodate the lifestyle, you support and promote. Too bad…you should meet Jesus.
Thanks for the tip! Now I know not to buy IKEA.
Wow, I’m shocked. I thought the only people who’d be commenting on this commercial would be gay people who are delighted to be acknowledged not only as buyers, but as families! I guess there are some people so bitter and unhappy with their own lives that they feel compelled to belittle us for being happy.
Bravo IKEA! And I don’t think you should fear losing business from a handful of bigots. We’ll buy enough to make up for them. :-P
The commercial is political trash. Everyone knows that gay couples can’t afford to buy IKEA furniture. They have to spend all their money on their AIDS meds. Bunch of disease spreading vermin.
OK, wow again. I was looking for a clip of this commercial on the web because I was so impressed and touched by it. I was happy to see a gay family so sweetly portrayed.
I was so disgusted by some of these comments that I just had to say something. I think that the commercial was beautiful and to see people so turned off by it to the point to where they refuse to buy the products is really disturbing and makes no sense to me. We should respect different views and lifestyles although we may not understand or feel comfortable with them. Yes I know you’re scared and whatnot but as long as these lifestyles aren’t bothering or affecting you negatively, why must you respond in such a hateful way?
And to the second to last commenter…AIDs is transmitted in many ways and is not in any way solely a “gay disease”. You have no reason to hate gay people just as you have no reason to hate other races or people who believe in another religion. Being gay or straight isn’t a choice. So how can you blame and generalize in such a vulgar way? I am so sickened that there are actually people who are so narrow minded and ignorant. I thought that since it was 2006, people would be more accepting of differences. I guess not…
If you are so easily influenced by ads you are pathetic and “disease spreading vermin” yourselves. Oh wait, ignorance and stupidity aren’t diseases.
Way to go IKEA, more power to ya!
I recently saw the commerical, and at the end, thought…”wait a minute…was that two guys?” Then I had to get on my computer to see if I could find out. I was quite pleased to find out that it was. Just for the record…I’m straight, but I support gay-rights. I firmly believe that everybody has a right to live their life the way they want to, as long as they aren’t hurting anybody. And I fail to see how two consenting adult men…or adult women…falling in love with each other and building a relationship hurts anybody.
An IKEA store recently opened up here, and I was avoiding it because of the trendy nature. But now, I’m definitely going to check it out.
* IKEA sells garbage and i doubt any self-respecting queerballs would shop there. ( the motive for these commercials?)
* it was a terrible advertisement that relys on a buzz-factor.
* our citizens (even the chemically imbalanced) have the right to persue happiness.
however, even if you claim nature as your god, there’s something not-right with being gay. - no matter what you tell yourself.
not a ‘phobe’
I saw this commercial the other day & while it may not influence me to shop at Ikea — I felt the slogon & the use of the gay/biracial couple was absolutely beautuiful.!!
I used to love to shop there..now…i’m like they support gays…oh my goodness…….i’ll never buy another ikea product again and i will tell all my friends never to buy an ikea product….they have theri values sooooooooooo screwed up…..a gay family….was that adam and steve? I know God didn’t created Adam and Steve and Abel……..
ANNA u must be gay cause i don’t see the beauty in teaching and showing kids that it ok for a man to be with another man……..i just don’t understand how twisted u can be…….kids should know that a man and a woman go together not two men or even two women……again u must be gay….that is the only reason i see u or anybody seeing that trach as being beautiful……call me homophobic whatever they use —- being GAY IS SIN!!
Watch the news or read the paper on any given day. Men are the biggest sinners of all! Murders, adultry, sexual assault, yet we still buy products from companies that have men in their commercials? I find it very interesting how so many who claim to follow the word of the bible, like to book mark the pages that support their prejudice and skip over the chapters that encourage love. Straight people get together, have babies and without trying somehow raise gay children. You can show a child all the beauty and teaching in the world and they could still turn out gay. No one would choose to be gay! Just like you wouldn’t choose to be unattractive, ignorant or live in a trailer park if many of you could flip a switch and change that reality. I’m sure the marketing geniuses at Ikea could care less about those of you who will choose to take your business else wear. I work in advertising, and their marketing firm probably did their research and discovered that in the furniture market year over year gay men tend to spend the most on trendy home furnishings.
Also, other very interesting stats:
- gay men and women travel more than straight men and women
- gay couples are begining to average a higher average household income than straight couples
Why? Some say that the negativity gay people receive from people in their communities inspires them to work harder, make more money and seek finer things in life.
People are always going to have there opinions and the ones I have seen posted here are much like those who years ago spoke out their hatred for blacks and jews. Fear and miseducation of the unusual can often cause that kind of behavior. In 50 - 80 years this kind of expression of hatred will be hard to find and your descendents will be ashamed of you.
The judgement you cast on others is a sin, therefore no one should purchase, participate or support anything that you do. You and your sin should be boycotted! If Jesus is your guide, then let him do his work when each and every being he has created comes to his judgement. In the mean time, in a world filled with so much violence, crime and heartache, can’t we try to love and respect those who are just trying to spread love?
I am not happy with the commercial.. and have decided to not shop there anymore. I use to be a really big shopper as I made lovely T2T (repurposed) items with some of the the pieces…. Needless to say I won’t be back. I don’t see this as beautiful - I see it as sad…. :(
Wasn’t Jesus a carpenter?
How is it that one second of a commercial can make someone so angry that they would choose to rearrange their own lifestyles? Not shopping somewhere anymore for a product that you like? Turning down help to a friend because they choose to buy an Ikea product? I hope NativeCanAm’s friend seeks a new friend in life.
It seems that people are so insecure with their own lives that the only thrill they get is looking down on others and assuming anyone who doesn’t share their hatred is gay.
What is wrong with people? Is it just ignorance? Are people just mislead and their only form of being social is simply based off what they see on tv and in front of the computer screen?
I’m a small town midwest woman, who has moved to the “big city”, my advice would be step out beyond your front porch and look deeply at what is out there. The people above that have so many negative views on gay people and Ikea’s commercial, may I ask….shouldn’t we support any adult consenting relationship right now that would last a life time? Do you have families, a new born baby laying in a crib right now…what are you going to do if your little one comes to you and says ….”Mom, Dad….I have fallen in love with another of the same sex?” It breaks my heart, by what was written above and just what might take place if things don’t turn out exactly how you have planned.
I thank my lucky stars that I can in one second be touched by something of beauty. For those of you that are so disgusted in one second by two men sitting side by side with a child and a dog, expressing LOVE and support in their flavor of family, how does that negatively effect anyone? It was one second in a commercial attemtpting to sell furniture, it scares me to think how many of you would react to this reality for a few minutes in everyday life.
God is love and Jesus teaches that (check book of John, New Testament). Therefore, we should love one another, no matter what color, race, gender, religion, or lifestyle.
God also teaches us truth, through His Word, and His truth is meant to help us live our lives with the purpose He instilled in us, which is to follow His ways, accept His Son Jesus, and love our neighbors as ourselves.
The Bible, God’s Word, shows that homosexual relations is a sin. Therefore, having a gay relationship is a sin and as Christians, we cannot accept that lifestyle, just like we don’t condone other sinful acts such as cheating, lying, killing. It is the sin we are against, not the sinner, and sadly many Christians send out the wrong message by hating the sinner. We Christians are no better than anyone else, but we are to live by the standards God set for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and set the right examples to live by.
Love the sinner, not the sin.
I was watching TV and saw the ad out of the corner of my eye and had to see if it was true but for people to say these hateful thing about me and my brothers and sisters you should ashamed of your self to judge other people only god can do that but your god is a hatful god but then agine you don’t know I will shop at IKEA and will tell my friends to as well and you better get use to it we have spending power more then you will ever know
Wow - There are not words to express how hurtful and cruel some people on this site are. I am sickened by some of these comments and do not understand how someone could be so closed minded. I am a married woman expecting a child. How sad and scary the world would be if everyone thought the way some of you do…
I do not have a problem watching the commercial, I do have a problem with my 4 and 8 year olds watching it. I don’t think same sex couples should be portrayed on television unless it is a show that has been chosen to watch. This commercial was aired during hours my children were able to watch it.
I was watching tv with my two young adolescent beautiful boys and was really shocked at what was portrayed on screen….At a time in my sons’ lives when roles and their own identities come into play every day at school, on the playground, on the soccer field, etc….I am sorry, but I really don’t feel that IKEA (sorry, a corporate merchandising mega-company) should have ANYTHING to do with determining and promoting gender confused “families” during live prime time television….What screwed up sense of “family” does a corporate entity have in it’s role of promoting its’ products? There are obviously other influences at work here and it all boils down to money and appealing to its’ market share…..sell to who your primary buyers are….ITS THAT SIMPLE. I think if a store is selling a product…sell the damn product, don;t sell all the other BS. Obviously whoever is in charge at your place is gay. In summary, the commercial was twisted, sacreligious, and a shame…if sexual orientation is all IKEA has to rely on it’s pretty pathetic. What are you selling? Furniture or …what??? OK you’ve gained all the gay majority, what about all the rest of us, the ones that are prcoreating and having more children and eventually in need of more furniture???
I saw the IKEA commercial. I think it’s pathetic that they have to stoop to this politically correct rainbow family bs in order to sell furniture.
“Families” don’t come in gay. Two adults can enter a relationship if they want to, but where did the little girl come from? If I heard of two men wanting to adopt a little girl, my eyebrows would raise and my pedophile alarm bells would ring. Why should the fact that the men in question like having sex with each other make it “beautiful”?
If heterosexual men said they wanted to use a surrogate to get a child because all women were good for was procreating, society would be outraged. Gay men essentially do the same thing, but it’s beautiful? Because the two men have sex with each other, it’s beautiful? That suddenly makes it not sexist?
Gay adults can do whatever they want. Leave the kids out of it.
And IKEA should just stick to selling furniture - not “family”.
I remember when I first saw this comercial. I was all like “Are those two guys? Together?! Man, that’s awesome. ” Then I went back to my daily life, with a little more hope for equality in daily life, ’cause it all starts with the little stuff.
Now I’m kinda worried. I haven’t seen the comercial again until today, and they had cut out the last part. If this was to save time, or the homophobes were kvetching, or some other junk, I dunno. Let’s just hope more comercials and other media features more gay couples.
(For the record, this was the second comercial I’ve seen that had a homosexual couple. The first was for an airline, I think.)
How horrible it would be if IKEA had to please everyone with their commercials.. not only wouldn’t there be gay people, but people of different races, gender and religion. This commercial was beautiful to me not only because it showed love between human beings, but because there’s a 20-60% winter sale going on!
Please. If adults have had to ask themselves quickly….”Is that two guys?” There is no way that your child caught the clip at the end. The only way they would ask would be if they over heard their parents ranting and raving about it. If you are fearful that your child may become gay from a commercial (laugh) trust me that won’t happen. You know if you are gay or have feelings of the same sex.
Gay people have been raising kids for hundreds of years! Just in the closet and away from you ridiculous close minded people! Where in the world do you think gay people come from? I can guarantee you it’s not from watching TV, or seeing a gay couple in the park. Your children are going to have gay co-workers, bosses, neighbors, classmates and friends. Just like you have, but those people were not comfortable enough to tell you. But just as many of your grandparents and their parents were probably racist, anti-semetic or poorly educated, I have great confidence that your children will grow to be more open minded than you. Then when they are older and at dinner parties, office socials or sporting events with their gay friends they will laugh at your thinking that seeing something gay could possibly make you gay.
To put pediphiles in the same category as gay people is just ridiculous! Call you local police department and they will tell you that the typical pedophile is a straight, white man.
You don’t have to agree with being gay. Just like I don’t have to agree that a relationship between a man & a women is more sacred seeing that the divorce rate is through the roof and my tv is flooded with reality shows making a complete mockery of straight relationships. Your kids probably think meeting the right person is no longer spirtual, but a game show where one person can choose from the 12 contestants competing for “love”.
The majority of Christians have a hard enough time following the basics of the ten commandments through out life. I just love watching the news and seeing “Christians” commit the most terrible crimes that actually do harm to others and then hide behind the bible. It’s my hope that you are spending just as much time blogging and showing your disapprovement to EVERY “sinner”.
By the way, if you are going to Boycott Ikea you better break out a pen and paper to continue your list. The gay community is VERY well supported by the most popular airlines, clothing, automobile, beer, liquor, real estate and technology companies in America. Those companies spend millions of their advertising dollars each year in national and international gay publications and events. Ikea is just one of the few who have step out.
To all of you who were offended and won’t shop at IKEA again, I say GREAT! But keep in mind that you can’t buy Ford, GM or Chrysler cars, you can’t shop at Walgreens, you can’t buy IBM, HP, or Dell products, drink Coke or Pepsi, use a Motorola phone, buy Kleenex or Levi’s, you can’t shop at Nordstroms or Sears, you can’t use your AmEx card, your VISA card, and you can’t buy Clorox. Why? Because these and thousands of other multi-national companies offer same-sex benefits, produce advertisements that target the gay community, and have have publicly stated that they will not tolerate discrimination against gays and lesbians. Perhaps you can grow you own food and ride a bike to work.
Slavery was once legal, interacial marriage was once illegal, and someday you children’s children will look back and shake their heads at your views on homosexuality. Time rights all wrongs.
So don’t shop at IKEA. It’s just a few less people that I have to stand behind in the checkout line.
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo, Mark and Socially Aware.
[...] I think Ikea’s furniture is cheap to begin with, but I will now make a concerted effort to not shop there. I don’t need their values as a corporation shoved at me during a national television commercial. I’m a little late to the party, and see it mentioned here with a picture. If you’re dying to be annoyed just read through some of the comments. [...]
I’m not adamently opposed or in favor of this commercial. It just doesn’t make a difference in the scope of things, but to those of you that say being gay isn’t hurting anyone, your’e right its not being gay, its being a gay family. Children that don’t have the influence of a mother and a father are being hurt.
I find it interesting how many people who didn’t grow up in a gay or single family home like to speak out for all children that have. I’m sure they would be quick to disagree with your reasons and theories on their upbringing, especially with there being so many messed up, bad behaiving, pharmaceutically drug dependent kids we currently have growing up in straight two parent families. Where are these poor, miserable people who were raised by a gay mother or father that you are so adamently speaking for in this forum? Where are the teachers crying out about the disturbed children of a gay family? The only difficulty these kids are having that is different from a normal upbringing is the negative attitudes from negative people. And again I ask, how do we explain how a straight, two parent family ends up raising a gay child? The environment for which a child grows up definitely has an effect on a child, but your gay theory doesn’t make sense. If it did you would also be opposed to ANY tv show that has divorced characters, as that too brings a message in to your household that would to effect your children. Or what about commercials or tv shows that show people enjoying alcohol, which has done more damage to the family unit then just about any other element in history?
Trent, it is my hope that you spend your free time away from the computer volunteering for children who have been taken out of abusive two parent homes, children who have been molested or sexually asualted by straight men, children who were victims at birth of drug and alcohol addiction. Then explain to them how they were better off with those parents rather than a single or same sex relationship family that would have surrounded them with love.
Two disfunctional, good for nothing straight people have the right to conceive and raise a child, and everyday we see so many of those children struggle in environment their parents have created for them. Being straight is in no way a ticket to successfully raising a child. It takes a positive, patient human being that is willing to listen and love their children in an enviroment with the proper amount of food, clothing, healthcare, education and income to raise a child. An environment without the influence of drugs, alcohol or negativity. Those qualities are not specific to straight or gay people, but should be mandatory to raising a child.
I never said that two parents should raise kids so that all kids are anti-gay. I understand that. Just because kids are raised by parents doesn’t make themgay just like the opposite is true. But do you honestly think that they isn’t a reason for a mother and a father in raising children. Its provable that kids need female AND make influence in their lives.
I understand that parents are screwed up straight, gay, transexual, whatever. People are messed up. But I want the best for children, and taking one more positive influence away from them isn’t improving their chances for sucess. I’m not saying gay people aren’t loving to children, but children need influence from both sexes. Period.
Let’s say a child adopted by a gay family turns out straight. How is that child supposed to function in a straight relationship when they grow up? When their role models have been either two men or two women I think they’ll have a difficult time adjusting to a straight relationship and figuring out the role they are to play. Because even if two gay “fathers” are the greatest and most loving people in the world, the minute their “son” dates and gets married, he’s never seen what that relationship looks like. He’s seen “dad and dad,” and that’s not what he will be doing. This same argument could be made for single mother and father families. I don’t think any of these situations should be encouraged.
Hey Trent, I definitey agree that the best situation for a child is a two parent home AND I also agree that every child should absolutely have the influence of both a man and a woman. Surprised?
I have had this arguement with friends of mine who are single parent and gay parent families. But my arguement does not mandate that those influences need to be from someone who lives in the household. Many people credit everyone from coaches to teachers to being the most influential people in their lives. I think it should be an absolute priority of the single or gay parent to find that man or woman, to be a positive influence and support system during the raising of that child.
But Nathan, it is ridiculous to think that we can only pick up relationship skills from our parents. Frankly, with divorce rates hitting close to 60% it is not even a good idea. My two straight parent home actually taught me some very bad habits when it comes to relationships. I don’t know to many men that have learned all they need to know about relationships and women from their dads. lol!
I hope you share the same concern for the kids who live in all white neighborhoods, go to all white schools and churches. How are those kids supposed to function when faced with diversity? Shouldn’t those parents be responsible for introducing their kids to other cultures and environments?
You really need to give gay people and kids more credit. Gay people are just trying to live, love and contribute to society in the ways every human being should have the right to do. With the negative opinions on this site and else where, don’t you think a gay family would do everything in their power to encourage a straight life for their child? Trust me, gay people are not trying to build a village and then take over the world. But they are human beings who are just as capable to raise healthy kids in a healthy environment.
If your opinions are not based on hate or ignorance, and your concern is REALLY for the children, then why not help instead of judge. Gay people, gay families and their children aren’t going anywhere and as our society continues to advance and grow you will be hearing and seeing more them. How can you be a positive influence, instead of a negative one? Couldn’t you be the positive man or woman influence to help that child or family that is missing one?
Again, I agree a child needs influence from both sexes, but also from different ages, races, cultures and backgrounds. We should all be willing to contribute our hearts, experience and minds to families of all kinds, to prepare the next generation for the generations to come.
I am against IKEA’s ad campaign and I resent being called a bigot because of it. Our media, along with the gay activists, scream for equal rights, but anyone who takes a stand against homosexuality is called a bigot. Why do you not care for my rights? I believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Bible. If basing my life around the ideals and moral system they represent makes me a bigot, then I will happily wear that badge. I do not spread hate. I believe all men are created in his image. And I do not stand in judgment of other men; each of us will have to face God one day and account for our own sins. But I should not be forced to explain to my 7 year old child about homosexuality if I do not wish to. I am able to screen TV shows & movies, but not commercials. IKEA is forcing this into my home–into my living room, without my permission — without my approval. Again, I ask, what about my rights?
The illogic, condescension, and bigotry of all these gay bashers stuns me. Why is Jennifer not blasting all the major news channels for bringing death, dying, hate and war images into her home? Are those things simple to explain to a kid? Perhaps so, if you care about nothing of consequence. Parents who cannot explain a loving relationship to their children should not be parents. Is not love the very basis of a family? To me, a straight person, it certainly appears that Jenneifer is spreading hate and standing in judgement — precisely the things she claims to be avoiding. At least she has the decency to say that she happily wears the badge of a bigot. Some of the other commenters won’t even go that far. For her to bring Jesus into the discussion as a co-conspritator in bigotry is an insult to Christians everywhere.
The message of the ad is pretty simple: fun, bright colors, love, optimism, caring, families … what’s not to like?
I am so sick of these stupid fags and their filthy agenda. I just wish they would all die off from AIDS (anal injected death serum).
You know, I’m glad that my little sister didn’t come up while I was reading those comments. I almost cried, so she would have been frightened by you homophobic or bitter people.
That commercial is beautiful. I thought it was the best commercial I’ve ever seen & to see so many people take offense at is is disgusting. I swear… can’t you all just see the beauty in thing instead of hating us for who we are.
In my family I AM the little asian girl & to see that picture finaly up for the public makes me happy, happy to see that families aren’t just a mother, father, daughter & son. Do you know what it feels like going into school & being bashed because the homophobia of the children’s parents have rubbed off on them? It shouldn’t be that hard for anyone.
I think it would be perfect if commercials started getting more open like this, so that children aren’t so shocked. Just, please, accept it. I hope that more commercials like this come out.
I love my dads.
I’m closing the comments on this page, because they are rapidly decreasing in relevance to the original post.
One of my biggest complaints about the “debates” about gay-parented families is how when the children themselves speak up, they are largely ignored, and everyone with their politically or religiously charged rhetoric continues to barrel through, and the conversation quickly spirals off onto tangents that are so far removed from the reality of the children.
This happens so often: on web forums, on call-in radio shows, in the State of the Union Address, at the Thanksgiving dinner table, in coffeehouse conversations, etc. etc.
Now I have my very own case study on my blog to illustrate my point.
It’s striking that the anti-gay commentators make no acknowledgment that they are posting on a blog that is written by a daughter of gay dads. It makes me wonder if they even bothered to look into that?
And it’s astonishing to read comments from straight people who are shocked that there are people who hold such anti-gay opinions. I’m more shocked that they find this shocking. Is the typical straight-but-not-narrow individual this disconnected with the reality of homo-hostility that gay families endure? To me it’s not shocking at all…just tiresome…but then again, I’ve been the recipient of these sorts of judgments and unsolicited lectures every day of my life since I was five years old. I might say I’m “used to it” — but does anyone ever get “used to” being told that your caring parents have made you damaged goods?
I think it’s appropriate that Pinky, a daughter of gay dads, (comment directly above this one) have the last word, since readers on “both sides” of this discussion need to keep in mind that while you debate as if this is all hypothetical — the children are acutely aware of your discussion.
Children of gay parents are not hypothetical. We exist. Commenters on this post have made it clear to Pinky and other kids with gay parents who read this blog that a one-second acknowledgment of families like hers is cause for some people to forever shun the company that dare validate her existence.
Homo-hostile people get so caught up in the “what’s best for the children” rhetoric that they don’t even think about how hurtful that rhetoric is to the children already in these families.
I won’t continue to add to a comment string that has so clearly disregarded those who matter most.
In pride,
Abigail Garner
Author of Families Like Mine: Children of Gay Parents Tell It Like It Is