McDonald's Sets Its Sights on the Gays

Attention, homosexuals of France: McDonald's wants you to know you are welcome at its many locations. The fast-food conglomerate's French division has released a commercial, entitled "Come as You Are," that depicts a pretty young man gazing mistily at an all-male class photo and talking on the phone to his paramour.

The young man's father then sits down at the table, bearing a tray laden with burgers and fries, and glances at the photograph. "Too bad your class is all boys," he says. "You could get all the girls!" The youth says nothing but smiles knowingly, and the campaign's slogan, "venez comme vous êtes," pops up on the screen.

McDonald's may be claiming to promote equality, if equality means having the right to eat the same crap as everyone else, but given that the teenager in the commercial apparently can't come out to his father -- despite the fact they eat at McDonald's together! -- the message here is actually a bit sad. Sadder is the fact that if this thing were ever televised on American TV, it would probably make Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction look like a tempest in a C-cup by comparison. But is that as sad as peddling New York-themed cupcakes to the Germans? One can only offer a Gallic shrug in response.

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