HelloFresh’s Pride Ad Campaign: A Cultural Shift?
This month, HelloFresh launched a Pride-themed advertising campaign that feels quite different from the promises many Americans encountered during the same-sex marriage discussions. You might remember phrases like, “My marriage does not affect your marriage,” or “What consenting adults do in their private lives is none of your business.”
A number of voters who championed same-sex marriage believed these statements and interpreted them as calls for legal acknowledgment rather than the start of a more extensive cultural trend that would eventually infiltrate corporate branding, workplace policies, educational systems, and mainstream culture.
Ordinary people—like moms and grandmothers—simply wanted their gay family members to be happy. They thought that redefining marriage wouldn’t cause any issues.
Fast forward almost 11 years, and here we are. The Obergefell decision, along with the popular meal kit service, has transformed the topic of gay intimacy into a part of everyday dining.
“Bottoms Up”
As much as I might not want to delve into this, the reality is we must address it. Ignoring it isn’t an option. If we don’t engage in these discussions, you can be sure that others will—those invested in this movement.
One ad from HelloFresh states: “We know that eating isn’t your top priority this month, and we respect that. But if you’re… preparing…, we’ve got a huge selection of fiber-rich recipes for you. Happy Pride.”
You might not be familiar with the term “preparation.” Megan Basham provided a more revealing translation of this context: it suggests an audience unfamiliar with gay sexual practices. Essentially, HelloFresh is implying their services aid in… cleansing before engaging in sodomy.
The company even rolled out discount codes—“Bottoms up.”
This recent Pride Month campaign seems to inject sexual innuendos into your meals, whether you like it or not.
What Happened to Privacy?
Where did the promise of “same-sex marriage” leading to bedroom privacy go? Many were sincere in their acceptance of that notion. Ordinary folks just wished for their gay relatives’ happiness, confident that changing the definition of marriage wouldn’t cause harm.
Back in California, I served as a spokesperson for Proposition 8, which defined marriage as solely between one man and one woman. My involvement in marriage discussions spanned from Prop 8 in 2008 until the Obergefell decision in 2015. It’s vivid in my memory how many leaders in the pro-marriage movement chose not to discuss the realities of gay sex.
Many argued, “This movement is about marriage, not about homosexuality.” It worked for plenty of us, as we really didn’t want to broach the topic of sexual relationships at all.
What we were focused on discussing were the meanings of marriage and the purposes it served. We wanted to convey how marriage serves to connect children to their mothers and fathers. Redefining marriage naturally brings concerns about changing parent-child dynamics.
There was hesitance to mention gay sex, as it could make people uncomfortable. I feared the first person to bring it up would be at a disadvantage.
Disinfection of Sodomy
Yet, this avoidance strategy had its downsides. It allowed proponents to sanitize the realities of gay sexual relationships. The general public was never prompted to contemplate what exactly those relationships entailed. Many imagined their sons simply cuddling with a boyfriend, enjoying Broadway tunes.
I recall addressing a crowd at Stanford University when a student asked about “marriage equality.” I posed a question back: could there truly be equal marriages between two men, two women, or one of each? She paused, clearly grappling with the concept. In the end, she stated, “Marriage doesn’t have to be a sexual relationship.” This was a tacit recognition that there isn’t really an equal way to consummate these varied “marriages.”
Essentially Sterile
Perhaps sidestepping the subject of “gay” during discussions was prudent. But HelloFresh’s marketing team has broken the unwritten rule that what happens in the bedroom should stay there. It was somewhat naïve to think that could ever be sustained.
Many decent people prefer to keep sexual discussions under wraps. Unfortunately, those pushing for sexual revolutions, regardless of their identity, aren’t likely to remain quiet on the matter.
The union between a man and a woman can create new life, intertwining oxytocin and vasopressin during sexual acts, forming bonds. In contrast, gay sex lacks these elements. Therefore, it is fundamentally sterile. To put it bluntly, gay sex is, well, less than ideal.
There, I’ve said it. Just don’t forget who brought it up first.
