TOMS Defense : Founder Expresses “regret,” says Focus on the Family misrepresented relationship

What to do now. Live and let live. What will it take for you to forgive TOMS? I may be a total push over, but I fully believe owner Blake Mycoskie. Call naive, but that would be rude. AB

(via news.change.org)

Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, has issued an exclusive statement to Change.org in response to an embarrassing controversy linking the popular urban apparel company to anti-gay, anti-choice group “Focus on the Family.”

After Christianity Today reported that Mycoskie was apparently developing a relationship with Focus on the Family, the news infuriated people who were hoping to do good with their TOMS purchase, through the company’s shoe giving program in developing countries. Across Facebook and Twitter on Friday, gay, lesbian, and allied customers expressed outrage that TOMS would associate itself with an anti-gay, anti-choice group. Ms. Magazine started a petition on Change.org that quickly received more than 400 signatures in just a few hours asking TOMS to drop their relationship with Focus on the Family. READ MORE

Tags: Blake Mycoskie, Developing country, Focus on the Family, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, Microsoft, Seva Foundation, TOMS Shoes, Twitter