BY: DM
Published 2 hours ago
For years, Chick-fil-A has been in hot grease, and not just for its chicken sandwiches. The chain chicken restaurant has a sour relationship with the LGBTQIA+ community that has never been mended.
The trouble kicked off in 2012 when Dan Cathy, the fast-food chain’s CEO, publicly opposed same-sex marriage. According to the National LGBTQ Task Force, the chain’s charitable arm also poured millions into groups accused of working against LGBTQIA+ rights. In response, LGBTQIA+ activists launched protests and boycotts, while social conservatives rallied behind the chain — even organizing a nationwide “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” to show support, per CBS.
While the company has taken some steps to shift the narrative, its support for the LGBTQIA+ community is still shaky. Let’s take a look at where Chick-fil-A stands now.
Chick-fil-A remains in hot water with the LGBTQIA+ community.
The fallout from statements made by Chick-fil-A’s CEO and the company’s private donations was swift. Critics – from activists to campus leaders and city officials – began pushing to block new Chick-fil-A locations on some college campuses, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. The company ultimately found itself forced into damage-control mode, caught between loyal fans and loud protesters.
Chick-fil-A tried to calm the waters without outright changing its core values. In July 2012, the company put out a carefully worded statement. “The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity, and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation, or gender,” a company statement said, via CNN. “We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent owner/operators.”
In other words, the chicken chain promised to stay out of the marriage equality fight publicly. The PR Newswire reports that Chick-fil-A also quietly restructured its charitable giving. Tax filings showed the creation of a new Chick-fil-A Foundation and a dramatic pullback from the most controversial grants. Instead, Chick-fil-A pledged to focus its philanthropy on hunger, homelessness, and education. The new giving plan committed $9 million in 2020 to initiatives like food banks and homelessness. This included grants to the Covenant House, which serves homeless LGBTQIA+ youth.
Chick-fil-A has yet to apologize to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Chick-fil-A never explicitly apologized for or renounced its past stance. GLAAD reminded potential customers not to jump for joy over Chick-fil-A’s small acts. In a statement to CNN, a representative for the gay rights organization suggested the fast-food chain should also reevaluate its company policies.
“In addition to refraining from financially supporting anti-LGBTQIA+ organizations, Chick-fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQIA+ employees and should unequivocally speak out against the anti-LGBTQIA+ reputation that their brand represents,” said Drew Anderson, GLAAD’s director of campaigns.
Through all the turbulence, Chick-fil-A’s official public messaging has tried to project inclusion and hospitality without getting into politics. In 2021, Chick-fil-A stressed to Fox News that it “does not have a political or social agenda, and we welcome everyone in our restaurants.” The company noted it is “proud to be represented by more than 200,000 diverse team members nationwide.”
Would you still eat at Chick-fil-A knowing their past anti-LGBTQIA+ stances? Comment below!
