Who screams? Ice cream… for equal rights

Ben and Jerry’s ice cream is standing up for civil rights with their recently announced “Hubby Hubby” flavor,  in honor of Vermont’s recent passage of legal marriage for gay and lesbian couples. The Hubby Hubby ice cream is a 30-day rebranding of their popular “Chubby Hubby” flavor. The move is mostly symbolic (PR stunt?) since the name won’t be changing on any store shelves or UPCs. The effort was done in cooperation with Freedom to Marry, a group that fights for marriage rights

The press release sent out by the company this week states, “Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of commitment to social justice, including gay rights.”

Since announced on their Facebook page yesterday, the name changed has caused a stir online. Comments ranged from “Brilliant name change” to “Time to give it a rest B & J.” While many people blame Ben & Jerry for using their product as a political soap box, many feel politics and ice cream just don’t mix. Who can blame them. Many products we use today are neutral. If Coca-Cola suddenly supported creationism, would you still be a fan? If Burger King decided all people that buy Whoopers support abortion, would you still order one? Does your food need to have a social agenda?

As someone that supports ice cream and equal rights, I find it refreshing and strange that our political issues can have a flavor. In a slightly ridiculous twist, CBS News recorded a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream truck serving Hubby Hubby to the public in Vermont. The video is below…

As you can see, the lack of political agenda does not stop anyone eating the free ice cream. Towards the end of the video, a woman spouts that homosexuality is wrong, but she is quickly cut off in the video. Its fair to say that no matter how much peoples’ beliefs may separate us, out common bond is in our stomachs.

(Photo: Business Wire)

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