One Million Moms

One Million Moms
Name	One Million Moms
Formation	2005
Type	Advocacy group
Headquarters	Dade City, Florida
Founder	Monica Cole
Affiliations	American Family Association
Region	United States
Focus	Media advocacy, family values

One Million Moms is an American conservative Christian activist group founded in 2005 associated with the American Family Association. The organization organizes boycotts and campaigns directed at television, film, advertising, and corporate partners it regards as promoting content contrary to its interpretation of Christianity. It has engaged in high-profile actions involving broadcasters, retailers, and entertainment companies, generating responses from civil liberties organizations and mainstream media outlets.

History

One Million Moms was launched in 2005 as an initiative of the American Family Association in Dade City, Florida under founder Monica Cole. Early campaigns targeted The Walt Disney Company and Walmart over programming and advertising decisions, while later efforts expanded to national broadcasters such as ABC (American Broadcasting Company), NBCUniversal, and CBS. The group grew amid the rise of online activism and email-based mobilization, aligning with other social conservative organizations including Focus on the Family and Family Research Council during the 2000s and 2010s. Major events in its timeline include campaigns against programming tied to the LGBT rights movement and corporate engagements with public figures like Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Perry, and brands such as Target Corporation and JCPenney.

Mission and Positions

The stated mission of the organization emphasizes defending what it describes as traditional Christian family values in mass media and advertising. The group takes positions opposing visibility for LGBT rights movement figures and themes in commercial media, arguing such representation conflicts with their interpretation of Biblical teachings. It advocates that companies and networks should avoid sponsorship and programming featuring same-sex relationships, transgender inclusion, and other topics the group characterizes as incompatible with conservative Christianity. Its positions align with those of allied organizations like the American Family Association, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Concerned Women for America on public policy questions related to public accommodations, religious liberty, and marriage.

Campaigns and Activities

One Million Moms has organized email campaigns, petition drives, and advertiser boycotts targeting programs, commercials, and retail partnerships. Notable campaigns have included efforts against the sitcom featuring Ellen DeGeneres, commercials aired during Super Bowl broadcasts, and retailer partnerships involving celebrities like John Waters and Demi Lovato. The group has pressured advertisers to withdraw sponsorship from series on networks including MTV, Lifetime (TV network), and Netflix. It has also called for corporate policy changes at retailers such as Target Corporation and Macy's, and urged cancellation of advertising partnerships with celebrities involved in LGBT advocacy such as Lady Gaga and RuPaul. Activities typically involve coordinated email templates, social media mobilization on platforms like Facebook and Twitter (now X), and public statements distributed through allied media outlets.

Criticism and Controversy

Critics contend that the group's campaigns promote censorship and discrimination against LGBT people and artists who support LGBT inclusion. Organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, the Human Rights Campaign, and the Southern Poverty Law Center have criticized the group's tactics and messaging. Media commentators in outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times have debated whether advertiser boycotts constitute legitimate consumer advocacy or coercive pressure on creative expression. Some advertisers and networks have faced counter-campaigns from LGBT advocacy organizations and civil liberties advocates including the American Civil Liberties Union and GLAAD.

Legal and Political Impact

While One Million Moms is primarily a private advocacy initiative, its efforts have intersected with legal and political debates over religious liberty, free speech, and anti-discrimination protections. Campaigns have coincided with legislative and judicial developments involving same-sex marriage and employment discrimination in forums such as state legislatures and federal courts following cases like Obergefell v. Hodges. The activities have sometimes prompted corporate policy reviews at companies subject to consumer pressure and shareholder concerns, drawing commentary from trade groups such as the National Retail Federation and legal analysis from organizations like the American Bar Association on advertiser liability and First Amendment implications.

Media Coverage and Public Response

Coverage of the organization has appeared in national outlets including Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, as well as newspapers such as The New York Times and USA Today. Public response has been mixed: supporters within conservative religious networks and allied organizations like Family Research Council have praised its vigilance, while entertainment industry figures and civil rights groups have condemned its campaigns. Counter-movements and solidarity campaigns from artists and companies have emerged in response, involving advocacy from groups like GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, and celebrity activists including Neil Patrick Harris and Kristen Stewart who have publicly supported LGBT inclusion.

Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States Category:Christian organizations based in the United States