There is a market for everything and the industry for the afterlife hit the U.S. spotlight when Costco Wholesale decided to introduce coffins as part of its online offerings for sale. Abroad, in Cologne (Germany), two undertakers are tapping into the gay market--selling coffins decorated with nude men.
For the gay community, in the United States, it ain’t going over so well.
The two German men behind the enterprise consider the prize piece of their displayed collection to be a coffin designed with images of naked, athletic-looking young men in athletic poses. The collection is inspired by Italian Renaissance paintings.
"We believe you should be able to have a coffin that lets you embark on your last journey in a way that reflects how you lived your life," says undertaker Thomas Brandl. According to that statement, many a gay man has lived his life as an Italian athlete.
The enterprising partners claim that the display coffin, which runs about $2,300, is found to be fascinating to people—or that’s what undertaker Brandl claims: "People are really interested because it's so unique. Reactions have been very positive so far.”
“Fascination” however doesn’t always translate to sales—and neither does a “positive” reaction. But positive is better than negative.
"Even though the Lord Mayor of Berlin, the vice-chancellor and many others openly admit to being homosexual nowadays, marginal groups still face prejudices and bureaucratic hurdles," the pair said in a statement.
It appears like does attract like—at least in terms of profession: the two undertakers are, in fact, a gay couple. The goal: to offer "a warm and fantastical departure for same-sex couples." Gay-themed coffins and urns are also available in rainbow colors--or with designs of women.
The business and everyday-life partners aren’t in a bad spot for offering those afterlife wares: a good percentage of Cologne's population being openly homosexual—at ten percent or higher in the German locale.
The undertakers’ idea hasn’t been so well received by members of the gay community in the States, with gay men and women expressing the idea that they find the coffins and idea to be gaudy or tacky—and another symbol that could misrepresent members of the gay community.
Simultaneously, many of the most positive reactions in the United States have been from “straight” people whom have been expressing support for the gay-themed coffins.