I will begin this article with a disclaimer: I have never understood the Chick-fil-A hype. I have always thought of them as that super Christian chicken place that is closed on Sundays and doesn’t support the queer community. For me, their anti-LGBTQ+ stance was enough to make me avoid the chain entirely.
Recently, however, it was announced that Chick-fil-A will no longer donate to two groups—the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes—both of whom have long been under fire for their treatment of the LGBTQ+ community. While this move is something to applaud on the surface, a little research into the subject proves that this shift is motivated by money rather than a matter of true progress, and for this reason I am unable to join in the chorus of positive affirmation being sent Chick-fil-A’s way.
To understand the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A, we must take a look at the company’s past. The fast food chain was founded by Samuel Truett Cathy in 1946. Cathy, a Georgia native and a member of the Baptist Church, held strong religious beliefs all his life in conjunction with being anti same-sex marriage.
In 1984, Cathy founded the WinShape Foundation, an organization through which more than $5 million has been donated to anti-LGBTQ+ groups since 2003. Such groups include Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Exodus International, the last of which promoted and participated in the debunked practice of conversion therapy.
Recently, Chick-fil-A had to cancel the opening of a store in the Buffalo Airport after Assemblyman Sean Ryan protested the move. In addition, Chick-fil-A appears to be trying to go international with their business but have been met with backlash, with protestors gathering outside the grand opening of their Toronto location. Chick-fil-A’s first restaurant location in the United Kingdom was forced to close amidst overwhelming protests as well.
It appears that blatant homophobia doesn’t sell in 2019, and from a business perspective the chain is smart to tone down their stance. I have no delusions that Chick-fil-A is truthfully pulling support for the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes purely out of the goodness of their hearts. Make no mistake, Chick-fil-A’s ultimate goal is not in the political or religious realm, but rather to get their food into the mouths of as many people as possible. This is not an ideological shift, but rather an economic one.
If Chick-fil-A wants to prove their commitment to change, they should do more than stop funding a measly two organizations—where is the apology to LGBTQ+ community? Where is the compensation for those who have had to undergo conversion therapy on Chick-fil-A’s dime? These restorative measures will most likely never come, and that is because Chick-fil-A is the same company they have always been, just with better public relations.
Hayley Jones is an English major junior who can’t wait to celebrate the eating holiday.