Ben and Jerry's Goes All the Way

Hubby Hubby Ice CreamMarks Gay Marriage

- Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is renaming their famous "Chubby Hubby" flavor to "Hubby Hubby" for the month of September to mark Vermont's legalization of same-sex marriages.

"At the core of Ben & Jerry's values, we believe that social justice can and should be something that every human being is entitled to," said CEO Walt Freese in a statement. The action was taken in partnership with Freedom to Marry, a marriage equality group. Partnering with corporations who demonstrate a social conscience is meaningful in its own right.

The Boston Herald reports that the move is mostly symbolic, though, as the Burlington, Vt.-based company is not changing labels on "Chubby Hubby" pints sold in stores across the country. Symbolism in society is still significant. Years after the Hula Hoop has stopped selling in toy stores, it still symbolizes the generation of the fifties.

The Herald also reported that gay-marriage opponents are not fond of the gimmick. "It's a bad idea, especially because I think they're just doing it to rub it in that Vermont has legalized gay marriage," said Brian Camenker of MassResistance.org.

"Chubby Hubby" ice cream contains pretzel nuggets, which are chocolate-covered and filled with peanut butter, in vanilla ice cream with fudge and peanut butter swirls.

Ben & Jerry’s has been part of food giant Unilever since 2000, but has maintained its activist thinking. Free Cone Day , held in April, is one of the company's biggest promotions and in January the company renamed its Butter Pecan flavor to "Yes, Pecan" to mark President Obama's inauguration.