The online group OneMillionMoms.com appears to be unsuccessful in its efforts to get retail chain JC Penney to fire Ellen DeGeneres as their spokesperson because she is a lesbian.

In a statement to Yahoo.com, JC Penney has confirmed that it "stands behind its partnership with Ellen DeGeneres" which was announced last week.

One Million Moms states on its website: 'DeGeneres is not a true representation of the type of families who shop at the retailer. The small percentage of customers they are attempting to satisfy will not offset their loss in sales by offending the majority.'

But DeGeneres, now in the ninth season of her popular daytime talk show, has quickly been able to demonstrate just how much public support she does have. 

The Los Angeles Times is running a poll on the matter and as of Friday (3 February) morning, nearly 95 percent of the approximately 2,000 respondents said JC Penney should keep DeGeneres because she is a 'symbol of equality.'

Also, more than 24,000 people signed a Stand Up For Ellen petition on Change.org in just 48 hours.

'My family and I use JC Penney for most of our clothing purchases. If Ellen goes because you let a known 'Hate Group' dictate to your company, you will never see another dollar of our hard-earned money,' Robert Coleman wrote on the petition.

Another DeGeneres supporter, Maggie Amaya, wrote: 'It's been said before and bears repeating: Hate is not a family value. Thank you for remembering that.'

The petition was initiated by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation which calls One Million Moms a 'hate group.'

'This week Americans spoke out in overwhelming support of LGBT people and J.C. Penney’s decision not to fire Ellen simply for who she happens to love,' said GLAAD's Herndon Graddick, senior director of programs and communications. 

“But while Ellen has the nation on her side, in 29 states today, Americans can still be legally fired just for being gay,' Graddick added. 'Our elected officials should use this incident as yet another example of the support for legal protections for all hard working employees.'