'Activist Mommy' Writes to Maybelline, Teen Vogue Advertisers to Drop Magazine Over Sex Guide
"The Activist Mommy" Facebook page, run by a conservative Christian mother, has started a petition letter to Maybelline and other advertisers to drop Teen Vogue magazine over its controversial sex guide article targeted at minors.
Addressed to Madeline Chambers of Maybelline, the letter, published online on Monday, reads:
"I'm sure that you're aware of the controversy with regard to Teen Vogue magazine and their recent Internet article entitled 'Anal Sex: What You Need To Know / How to do it the RIGHT way!'
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"You're also probably aware that the target demographic for this publication is females, 12-17 years old."
"What you may not know is that parents are outraged, and there's a national movement to #PullTeenVogue in hard copy form from the shelves of all retailers and libraries, and to cancel mail order subscriptions."
Elizabeth Johnston, who runs "The Activist Mommy," said that people are boycotting the products and services of all advertisers and sponsors of Teen Vogue, Condé Nast and Advance Publications, until all ties are severed with the companies.
"We will not stand by idly while our daughters are being exploited for the sole purpose of generating advertising revenue from companies such as Maybelline," the letter reads.
Johnston posted earlier in July a video of herself burning a copy of Teen Vogue because of the article, which has gone viral online with over 11 million views.
In a later interview with CBN News, Johnston revealed that she has been receiving strong responses over the video.
"I've had overwhelming support, and overwhelming hate," she said.
A number of conservatives have strongly condemned the article, which billed itself as a "just the facts" sex health education piece.
"As parents and grandparents, regardless of one's faith, we shouldn't stand by and let this kind of trash be pawned off on our children," wrote evangelist Franklin Graham on his Facebook page Thursday.
"Other recent articles are just as bad. Teen Vogue is now in the category of a porn magazine and should be regulated as such. Some of the advertisers in Teen Vogue are — Macy's, David's Bridal, Levi's, Secret Deodorant, and Burt's Bees. It's important that we let them know we don't appreciate their support of this obscene content aimed at children and teens," he added.
Phillip Picardi, the digital editor for Teen Vogue, has defended the piece, and wrote on Twitter, "The backlash to this article is rooted in homophobia. It's also laced in arcane delusion about what it means to be a young person today."
Meanwhile, conservative radio host and best-selling author Eric Metaxas accused Teen Vogue of making a "pact with Satan."
"That's really the only explanation possible. Be sure never to buy a copy," Metaxas wrote.
Matt Walsh, a conservative Christian blogger with TheBlaze, commented, "Just a teen magazine encouraging kids to sodomize each other.
"There is little in this culture worth salvaging."
