Wal-Mart Unit Hears Gay Wedding Bells

Asda, Wal-Mart's British subsidiary, has introduced a line of wedding cards and "commitment rings" this week - just in time for the country's legalization of gay civil partnerships.

A Wal-Mart subsidiary in Britain is selling wedding cards and matching rings for same-sex couples, who can soon enter into civil unions there. "Wedding day wishes, Mrs. & Mrs.," reads a pink-toned greeting card. A blue card decorated with two top hats says, "Congratulations, Mr. & Mr." The company will also sell a line of matching gold rings with diamond insets starting at £60 each ($104).

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"Ever since gay weddings were given the official go-ahead, we've had a number of customers asking if we could introduce gay cards," Ed Watson, an Asda spokesman, said. "With the launch of our new range, we can ensure that our customers can celebrate every marriage - whether it is between him and her, him and him, or her and her," he said.

Critics of Wal-Mart, however, accused the company of hypocrisy, contrasting its marketing of gay wedding cards in Britain with its stricter controls in the United States. Wal-Mart has pulled some mainstream magazines from its shelves and refuses to carry some popular books because of their content, among them "America (The Book)" by Jon Stewart and "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?" by George Carlin.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/07/business/07asda.html