Is the inventor of the chicken sandwich Chick-Fil-A anti-gay? They have super tasty food, but they are closed on Sundays. However, is that enough to make a claim like this? The New York Times recently asked the question about the popular chicken chain.
Some people refer to the company’s food as “Jesus chicken” (who knew?). Even that doesn’t mean that the company is anti-gay though. The reason for the questions is because a Pennsylvania franchise actually sponsored a marriage seminar next month called “The Art of Marriage: Getting to the Heart of God’s Design.” It is being held by one of the most outspoken anti-homosexuality groups in the state.
This news spawned headlines like “If you’re eating Chick-Fil-A, you’re eating anti-gay.” Some college campuses are even trying to get rid of the chain over the allegations. Wow! This seems a little far over the actions of just one franchise. In fact, Dan T. Cathy, the president of the company said that providing sandwiches and brownies for a conference does not endorse a certain political stance. This seems true.
The privately held company is unabashedly Christian, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t value and serve all people equally. Chick-Fil-A in many cities is a local meeting place for mothers, families, students, the elderly – it is literally a modern day coffee shop in some instances. Overall, it’s just a pleasant place to hang out. The employees say “my pleasure,” and make you feel like a welcomed guest no matter who you are or who you’re with.
Do you go to Chick-Fil-A? If so, do you feel that the company is anti-gay? The companyÂ’s president made a video answering to some of these questions, and you can watch it below.
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Comments: 18
You might be interested in this Columbia Journalism Review article, which criticizes the New York Times for also issuing an incomplete report on this topic: http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/just_how_anti-gay_marriage_is.php
There is much more than just the one PFI incident. Whether or not that affects your personal decision regarding Chick (pro- or against-) is another matter entirely. But the factual record should be a shared interest.
For starter: This goes way beyond what the article would have you believe. For just one instance: Check out this email where Chick-Fil-A's WinShape Retreat confirms that they have an all-out ban on gay couples: http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2011/01/heres-what-chick-fil-a-doesnt-understand-the-more-their-defenders-shoot-the-messenger-the-more-were-going-to-dig-up-new.html
You may agree with that kind of policy. You may not. But you should know that it goes way beyond just the one PFI incident mentioned in the article.
Also: There is no "attack" here. Countless pro-gay companies make their corporate support fully known. Some groups (particularly the American Family Association) do lash out against these companies. But it never works. The pro-equality companies always stand their ground.
The same has to go for Chick-fil-A. If they stand by all of the outreach and advocacy that they have chosen to put out there, then they should have no issue with it coming to light. That's really all that has happened here: Stuff has come to light. Form that point, all consumers -- gay, straight, pro-equality, "pro-family -- can make their personal decisions about how they wish to proceed. Some will stop eating there. Some will eat there more. Some might boycott. Others might boycott any boycott. That's the market for you.
The two major issues involved have nothing to do with the company's announced sponsorship of the 'Art if Marriage" seminars. The biggest issues are (a) a national "protect marriage" seminar that the company seminar holds at its WinShpae Retreat Center, at which national anti-gay marriage figures like Maggie Gallagher, Jennifer Roback Morse, Jim Daly, and others speak and strategize on related topics. The other is (b) the revelation that this very same WinShape Retreat Center (which Chick supports to the tune of tens of millions of dollars) has an explicit ban on gay and lesbian couples. You can read about those here (with links back to other Chick coverage): http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2011/01/chick-fil-a-head-makes-another-statement-we-truly-hope-this-can-be-our-last.html
Also, throughout this whole thing, the vast majority of us who've covered the matter have said, point blank, that the company has EVERY RIGHT to sponsors whatever they want, and that consumers have every right to patronize whatever establishments they choose. In fact, I (the person at the forefront of all this) have admitted that this advocacy revelation will surely *increase* support within large portions of the company's base. That is fine. The interest here was to get out the information and let the market decide.
What's weird is this idea that by putting out accurate, fully documented information (See it all here:http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/chickfila-controversy/), those who have reported on this matter are somehow mean or radical or out-of-line or whatever. If Chick-fil-A execs have no problem with the outreach work they has been doing, then they should have no problem with us noting it. Just as pro-equality companies publicly stand by and promote their own policies supportive of the LGBT community, Chick-Fil-A should have no issue standing by their own choices as a privately-held American company.
So please, regardless of where you stand, don't be so quick to shoot the messenger. And if nothing else, at least make sure you have the whole message before calling someone a "bully" or suggesting they should be "waterboarded."
My favorite is the ADT home security systems commercials; you will NEVER see a black person as the perpetrator, they are always white.......
If Chick-Fil-A is anti-gay it is their right to be.