London: LGBT campaigners to stage protest outside Dolce and Gabanna store

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

A protest is to take place in London on Thursday in support of the boycott of Dolce and Gabanna.

The Peter Tatchell Foundation and the Out and Proud Diamond Group have organised the event.

It will be held outside D&G’s flagship London store, 6-8 Old Bond Street, London, on Thursday 19 March from 1-2pm.

Peter Tatchell said: “It is hypocritical for Stefano Gabbana to oppose gay parents, given that in 2006 he expressed a desire to have a child via artificial insemination and surrogacy. He’s guilty of double standards.

“Gabbana wanted for himself what he now condemns other gay men for wanting. These comments are not only an attack on same-sex parents but on all parents who’ve had children with the aid of fertility treatment, including thousands of heterosexual couples.”

Mr Tatchell continued: “Dolce and Gabbana are entitled to their views but we are entitled to protest against them. We urge everyone – gay and straight – to boycott their clothes.”

“It’s intolerable for these designers to make millions out of the gay community and then turn around and insult our families. They’ve stabbed us in the back.”

Calls by Sir Elton John for a boycott of Dolce and Gabbana have quickly gathered pace, with support from celebrities including Matt Lucas, Sharon Stone and Courtney Love.

Victoria Beckham, a close friend of Sir Elton John and David Furnish, also tweeted her “love” for IVF babies.

But a few celebrities, most notably former Mirror editor Piers Morgan and ex-Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins have criticised the boycott, describing it as “bullying” and threatening freedom of expression.

Conservative Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has said that Dolce and Gabbana are ‘beyond offensive’ but that he is against a boycott. 

Dolce and Gabbana have defended their comments – with Domenico Dolce insisting that he does not judge those for starting a family in a “non-traditional way”.

In 2006, Stefano Gabbana told Vanity Fair that he had asked a female friend to carry his child via artificial insemination.