Conservative Silence on P&G

So far, we've heard nothing from conservative groups about P&G's inclusion of gender identity and expression in its non-discrimination policy, a fact that the Washington Blade also picked up, as well:

Conservative groups have no plans to boycott Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest consumer products maker, after the business amended its anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity and expression.

Lisa Popyk, a Procter & Gamble spokesperson, downplayed a policy update the Blade first reported last week, saying the categories were long intended to be included.

“For us, it was just a clarification of a long understanding of treating everyone equally and with respect,” she said...

But the policy change drew no immediate ire. Devon Williams, a Focus on the Family publicist, said Wednesday that “at the current time, we don’t have any plans to encourage a boycott of Procter & Gamble.”

Peter LaBarbera president of the conservative Americans For Truth said he remained concerned that “someone who expresses their gender identity as female and he is a biological male” might use the policy to assert “his civil right” to use a female restroom.

He stopped short of calling for a boycott, but noted the issue “has a lot more traction than even gay debates.”

“I think it garners a lot of attention from people who have a hard time with the idea that civil rights should be based on what we would say is gender confusion,” LaBarbera said.

The American Family Assoc-iation did not respond to requests for comment. Phil Burress, president of Citizens for Community Values, a conservative organization based in Cincinnati, declined to comment for this article.

Oh? There was a time, not many years months ago that this would have flown across the conservative newswire, and there would be some sort of absurd boycott started against the home goods giant.

I wonder what's changed?

Update: Hrm. Methinks I have figured out where Wolfie at Back2Stonewall.com always gets his excellent news from :-). I swear, Wolfie, I found them too, I'm not just stealing! LOL! But, for all of my readers, Wolfie covered both the P&G issue and the Beauchamp indictment before I did, so check it out!

Four best words out of Iowa today

Perhaps the most amazing words out of the ruling (available thanks to Pam's House Blend) today striking down the same-sex marriage ban in Iowa -- and legalizing equal marriage, to be enacted within three weeks.

A unanimous decision.

Wow. Thank you, Iowa.


Update: Ha! My friend Sarah S. on Facebook: "YAY! I live in a progressive state! I'm thinking about marrying a woman just because I can!" Oh, but don't forget to watch the fabulous blogosphere of the Christian right -- I have no doubt that many more posts like this one from Peter LaBarberawill be popping up amidst the jubilation.

Update: A joint statement has come out from the Iowa House Speaker and the Senator Majority Leader: "When all is said and done, we believe the only lasting question about today’s events will be why it took us so long. It is a tough question to answer because treating everyone fairly is really a matter of Iowa common sense and Iowa common decency. Today, the Iowa Supreme Court has reaffirmed those Iowa values by ruling that gay and lesbian Iowans have all the same rights and responsibilities of citizenship as any other Iowan." Hells, yea, Iowa!!! (Thanks to @queerunity)