Chick-Fil-A Gay Flap A 'Wakp Call' For Compani : NPR

Contents:

• FACT-CHECKG THE FALLOUT OM THE CHICK-FIL-A GAY MARRIAGE NTROVERSY
• CHICK-FIL-A GAY MARRIAGE CONTROVERSY
• MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE RAILS AGAST GAY MARRIAGE
• CHICK-FIL-A CEO DAN CATHY SPEAKS OUT ON GAY MARRIAGE CONTROVERSY
• CHICK-FIL-A GAY FLAP A 'WAKP CALL' FOR COMPANI
• CHICK-FIL-A PRINT TWEETS RPONSE TO GAY MARRIAGE RULGS, THEN DELET
• ANTI-GAY CHICK-FIL-A: ‘GULY AS CHARGED’ SUPPORT OF ‘TRADNAL MARRIAGE’
• CHICK-FIL-A WAFFL ON GAY MARRIAGE RIGHTS, I BRAND IMAGE
• CHICK-FIL-A PRINT LET ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE TWEET
• CHICK-FIL-A CEO CATHY: GAY MARRIAGE STILL WRONG, BUT I'LL SHUT UP ABOUT IT AND SELL CHICKEN
• CHICK-FIL-A THST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT ON GAY RIGHTS

FACT-CHECKG THE FALLOUT OM THE CHICK-FIL-A GAY MARRIAGE NTROVERSY

Tett Cathy and his wife Jeate Cathy, has donated over $1 ln to groups that actively oppose same-sex marriage, cludg Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Fom; the anti-LGBTQ Christian group Foc on the Fay; the SLPC-certified hate group Fay Rearch Council; the now-funct ex-gay therapy group Exod Internatnal; the exclively for-heterosexuals-only Marriage & Fay Legacy Fund; and the Fellowship of Christian Athlet (FCA), a relig groups whose “sexual pury policy” prohibs any homosexual acts. However, The Chick-fil-A Foundatn’s IRS filgs om 2015 revealed that the foundatn donated $1 ln to the FCA; $200, 000 to the Pl Anrson Youth Home, a Geia-based rintial home for troubled youth which said that child abe homosexualy; and $130, 000 to the Salvatn Army, a relig ternatnal chary that has long opposed same-sex marriage and anti-LGBTQ hog discrimatn protectns while supportg relig exemptns om LGBTQ+ anti-discrimatn laws.

One anonymo gay worker disuraged boytts, notg that they would mostly harm the cha’s LGBTQ+ employe, but also acced the rtrant’s anti-gay and Christian supporters of beg self-righteo, arrogant, and bld to LGBTQ+ sufferg. Several gay employe said some ctomers offered homophobic words of support for the bs while other people yelled at employe for supportg a homophobic pany.

CHICK-FIL-A GAY MARRIAGE CONTROVERSY

Others said that their Chick-fil-A -workers and supervisors didn’t tolerate homophobic behavr om lleagu.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE RAILS AGAST GAY MARRIAGE

Chick-fil-A’s supporters have enuraged the pany to embrace s anti-gay social stanc, while s crics have urged the pany to turn away om s anti-LGBTQ+ practic.

In 2012, gay activists and alli staged a natnal boytt of the cha after one lotn donated food to a semar hosted by the anti-gay Pennsylvania Fay Instute. Too often, those on the left make rporate statements to show support for same-sex marriage, abortn, or profany, but if Christians affirm tradnal valu, we’re nsired homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and tolerant. On Augt 3, 2012, however, gay rights activists around the natn held kiss- protts opposn to the rtrant’s anti-LGBTQ+ donatns and Dan Cathy’s views agast same-sex marriage.

CHICK-FIL-A CEO DAN CATHY SPEAKS OUT ON GAY MARRIAGE CONTROVERSY

Around the same time, gay artist Manny Castro spray-pated a Torrance, California Chick-fil-A rtrant wh a picture of a w and the words “Tast Like Hate” prott of Cathy’s anti-gay statements. The Amerin Fay Associatn also circulated a petn which stated, “It looks like you (Chick-fil-A) are abandong Christian valu and agreeg wh homosexual activists who say believg the Bible mak you a hater.

While Chick-fil-A’s donatn strategy has changed for the time beg, still rri an image of beg anti-gay. In September 2022, Alexandre’s Bar the Dallas gayborhood of Oak Lawn announced the sale of s own “Chick-fil-gAy” sandwich that was only available on Sundays (the day on which all Chick-fil-A lotns are closed).

CHICK-FIL-A GAY FLAP A 'WAKP CALL' FOR COMPANI

Tett Cathy and his wife, Jeate, which crics ntend has evinced a bias the Chick-fil-A pany by donatg lns of dollars to groups wh anti-gay agendas:. In the name of tolerance, the anti-Chick-fil-A hawks sneered at the pany's ma product as "J Chicken, " rid s no-Sunday-work policy, and attacked s operators as "anti-gay.

This is not bee they re about wng hearts and mds over gay rights or marriage policy, but bee their re objective is to margalize polil opponents and chill Christian philanthropy and activism.

CHICK-FIL-A PRINT TWEETS RPONSE TO GAY MARRIAGE RULGS, THEN DELET

The pany has mataed that neher they nor the anizatns they donate to through WShape has an "anti-gay" agenda:.

The stunt senate at Northeastern Universy, Boston, voted to end negotiatns to brg fast-food cha Chick-fil-A to mp after stunts protted over the pany's affiliatn wh several Christian anizatns the stunts say have an "anti-gay" Atlanta-based pany, dogged for months by accatns of homophobia, sists is "not anti-anybody" but stead simply wants to "gracly serve great food and have a posive fluence on all who e ntact wh Chick-fil-A. None of the anizatns the pany supports has an "anti-gay" agenda, although as Christian groups, they do uphold and support heterosexual marriage, Donald A.

ANTI-GAY CHICK-FIL-A: ‘GULY AS CHARGED’ SUPPORT OF ‘TRADNAL MARRIAGE’

Chick-fil-A print and chief operatg officer Dan Cathy's July 2012 terview wh the Baptist Prs generated even more ntroversy over the issue, wh crics matag he had virtually acknowledged the pany supports an anti-gay marriage agenda:. The Jim Henson Company announced would no longer partner wh Chick-fil-A the wake of the fast food pany's acknowledged support of anti-gay anizatns. Meno is vowg to block Chick-fil-A om brgg s Southern-ied fast-food empire to Boston — possibly to a popular tourist spot jt steps om the Freedom Trail — after the fay-owned firm’s print suggted gay marriage is "vg God’s judgment on our natn.

A uple of wily-circulated piec about Chick-fil-A and other fast food outlets were merely bs of satiril polil humor, not genue news ems:On 24 July 2012, the satiril Onn web se spoofed the Chick-fil-A ntroversy by publishg an article tled "Chick-Fil-A Debuts New Homophobic Sandwich":. As part of s recent efforts to publicly align self wh fundamentalist Christian valu, the Chick-fil-A rtrant cha announced the but of s new Queer-Hat' Cordon Bl sandwich that would be on sale all of the pany's 1, 600 a prs nference to reporters, pany reprentativ said the homophobic new sandwich will clu the natnal fast food cha’s tramark ied chicken filet wrapped a piece of specially-smoked No Homo ham that would be topped wh a slice of Swiss chee and lathered a creamy new Thoand Island-based Fag Punchg sce. Rpondg to Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy's recent ntroversial admissn of the pany's donatns to antigay groups, a statement om petg fast food cha Wendy’s let nsumers know that has long supported same-sex upl and only harbors strong objectns to terracial marriage.

"It's important that Wendy’s ctomers know our rtrant proudly stands by the right of all Amerins to marry whomever they choose, so long as isn't someone of a different race, ” said spokwoman Jenna Knox, addg that while Wendy’s has always backed pro-gay legislatn, found miscegenatn "an abomable offense to God’s will. Followg the Wendy’s statement, executiv om Jack the Box nfirmed that they too had always supported gay rights and the Holot never happened. Some rears asked, "Did Chick-fil-A really spend lns lobbyg Congrs not to nmn Uganda’s 'Kill the Gays' bill"?

CHICK-FIL-A WAFFL ON GAY MARRIAGE RIGHTS, I BRAND IMAGE

We found no evince that Chick-fil-A self spent money (let alone lns) lobbyg Congrs to prevent that body om issug a nmnatn of a ntroversial Ugandan legislative bill which rried the ath penalty for some homosexual acts. 1064, a rolutn seekg to "exprs the sense of the Hoe of Reprentativ" that Uganda's proposed Anti-Homosexualy Bill "threatens the protectn of fundamental human rights.

1064, they did not support the Uganda bill or the ath penalty for homosexualy, and their lobbyg efforts were not aimed at killg the Congrsnal rolutn but rather at changg s language "to remove sweepg and accurate assertns that homosexual nduct is ternatnally regnized as a fundamental human right. In September 2012, the Civil Rights Agenda group reported that Chick-fil-A had pledged not to fund groups that oppose gay marriage:. Chick-fil-A has pledged to stop givg money to anti-gay groups and to back off polil and social bat after an executive’s ments land the fast-food cha smack the middle of the gay marriage Civil Rights Agenda, which dubs self the largt lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr advocy group Illois, said Chick-fil-A agreed meetgs to stop donatg to groups such as Foc on the Fay and the Natnal Organizatn for Marriage.

Notably, Chick-fil-A never explicly said would permanently stop donatg to anti-gay groups or anizatns that discrimate agast LGBTQ people — jt said was changg s philanthropic givg mol. In 2012, the Chigo-based Civil Rights Agenda issued a statement claimg that Chick-fil-A had promised to “no longer give to anti-gay anizatns, such as Foc on the Fay and the Natnal Organizatn for marriage. As ThkProgrs reported 2017, Chick-fil-A ntued to bankroll anti-gay groups like the Fellowship of Christian Athlet, the Salvatn Army, and the Pl Anrson Youth Home through s foundatn.

CHICK-FIL-A PRINT LET ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE TWEET

A year earlier, a Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A’s cisn to donate food to a marriage semar nducted by the Pennsylvania Fay Instute, a group known for s anti-gay advocy, prompted a natnwi boytt of the cha.

Cathy issued a vio statement rponse to the boytt, which he claimed the pany “serv all people” and that, while he personally believ the “biblil fn of marriage, ” his pany don’t have an “anti-gay agenda. In 2011, the same year a Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A anchise donated food to a lol anti-gay anizatn, the LGBTQ advocy group Equaly Matters obtaed tax rerds which revealed that the Cathy fay had donated more than $1.

CHICK-FIL-A CEO CATHY: GAY MARRIAGE STILL WRONG, BUT I'LL SHUT UP ABOUT IT AND SELL CHICKEN

9 ln to anti-gay groups 2010 through the WShape Foundatn, the Cathy fay’s charable givg anizatn found by Tett Cathy 1984. 1 ln gift to the Marriage & Fay Foundatn, a group that promoted so-lled tradnal marriage and opposed both gay marriage and divorce; $480, 000 to the Fellowship of Christian Athlet, an athletic anizatn that requir applints to agree to a “sexual pury statement” that nmns LGBTQ people for livg “impure liftyle[s]”; and $1, 000 to Exod Internatnal, a group that promot anti-gay nversn therapy. For Chick-fil-A’s opponents, the problem was bigger than Cathy’s anti-gay ments, was that he was apparently puttg his money where his mouth was, and he had a lot of money to go around.

In a 2014 terview wh the Atlanta Journal-Constutn, Cathy admted he regretted gettg volved the gay marriage bate. Though Chick-fil-A never managed to fully shed s reputatn as a homophobic purveyor of lic chicken sandwich, ntued to expand s natnal prence, pecially above the Mason-Dixon le.

The Cathys’ “dissonant view, ” as one brand nsultant lled , may have fally hurt Chick-fil-A’s bottom le — pecially now that a popular, non-homophobic alternative to Chick-fil-A’s sandwich has emerged. On January 4th, 2011, Metro Weekly[1] published an article tled "Is Chick-fil-A rtrant agast gay rights? ", which reported that the anti-gay marriage anizatn Pennsylvania Fay Instute (PFI) listed Amerin fast food rtrant cha Chick-fil-A as a -sponsor of two marriage nferenc.

CHICK-FIL-A THST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT ON GAY RIGHTS

On July 20th, Boston mayor Thomas Meno sent a letter to Chick-fil-A COO Dan Cathy nouncg the pany's stance on gay marriage (shown below). That same day, the Jim Henson Company posted an update on their official Facebook[8] page announcg they had notified Chick-fil-A that they no longer wished to partner wh the rtrant cha the future and that they would donate the payments they received om the pany to the LGBT advocy anizatn GLAAD (The Gay & Lbian Alliance Agast Defamatn). On July 23rd, a Facebook[6] event was created for "Natnal Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A", which urged gay-marriage supporters to vis a lol Chick-fil-A rtrant and rerd themselv kissg a member of the same sex on Augt 3rd.

Meanwhile, unterg the "Same Sex Kiss Day" event, former Republin printial ndidate and Arkansas ernor Mike Huckabee lnched a Facebook event tled "Chick-fil-A Appreciatn Day, " which lled on all supporters of Christian prcipl to vis a Chick-fil-A rtrant on Augt 1st show their solidary wh s stance on gay-marriage. Several proment YouTubers also chimed on the ntroversy wh reactn vios, cludg mentn over a proposed boytt (shown below, bottom, right) and a okg gui for makg a "Chick-Fil-Gay" sandwich (shown below, bottom, left). News outlets cludg CNN, New York Tim and Los Angel Tim reported that hundreds of thoands of people vised Chick-fil-A rtarants to show their solidary wh the fast-food cha's stance on gay marriage, spawng hundreds of photographs of long l outsi of Chick-fil-A stor across the untry on Twter and Facebook.