Stop eating at Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A supports anti-LGBTQ+ policies and organizations
Collegian File Photo
November 4, 2019
These days, it often feels as though every decision we make is a political one. That behind every one of our actions there is something problematic about what we are doing, that we may have not even realized. With the way our world operates, it is difficult for our actions to in some way not be tied to something we may deem as wrong. It is what we choose to do about it that says more about our character and our values. When we are aware of the problematic effects of our choices, it is our responsibility to do something about it and make sure that the way we live contributes to a positive world. That includes one in which the identities of every person are respected.
Take a company like Chick-fil-A for example, one that often sparks protests and debate. Their chicken sandwiches may be good, but are they good enough to deny a person’s basic rights? I don’t think so. Chick-fil-A is a family owned fast food chain whose founder, S. Truett Cathy, thinks “should be about more than just selling chicken” but should they? The founder rooted the company in his Christian values, closing the chain on Sundays and making sure those that operated the franchises shared his values. While the overall message of these Christian values is based in kindness, that gets lost in the hate that some Christian values bring, particularly the anti-LGBTQ values.
To Chick-fil-A, being about more than just chicken means proudly making charitable donations, but to who exactly? While the company has scaled back on many of its donations after facing criticism, the company still holds onto its Christian values and continues to donate to Christian charities, which in many cases cannot avoid problems and criticism from those that do not agree and who feel targeted by them. Chick-fil-A currently donates to organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, who, if you go to their website has a statement of faith which states in one of their points, “We believe God’s design for sexual intimacy is to be expressed only within the context of marriage. God instituted marriage between one man and one woman as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society.” An organization with views like this is something I do not want any part of and that I think we as a society should be a lot more concerned about. I don’t want the money I spend to go to something I whole-heartedly disagree with and threatens an entire community’s identity.
Chick-fil-A has skirted around this issue saying that their donation to this group was to support summer sports camps, but $1.6 million to any group that so blatantly supports anti-LGBTQ policies is a donation that should be questioned, especially considering the fact that the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is certainly not the only organization that creates youth summer camps. If you have to explain your affiliations with an organization so as to avoid criticism, maybe you should question why you even associate with them in the first place.
To some, the idea of boycotting a company because you disagree with them may be viewed as an overreaction or giving into politically correct culture, and I understand where that argument is coming from. It is frustrating to have to reevaluate all your decisions, including simple ones like where to get a quick bite to eat, but sometimes doing the right thing is hard. It disrupts our daily routines, it causes us to question our morals and past behavior, but we do it because it is the right thing.
In this case, boycotting a company like Chick-fil-A is not getting too political or giving into PC culture. Making a person’s existence nothing more than a political debate is demeaning. When it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, there is no room to agree to disagree and move on, because there is a lot more riding on this issue. The LGBTQ+ community deserve to feel safe and accepted. That is threatened when companies like Chick-fil-A receive unwavering support, despite their customers knowing where the money they spend there could be going. While I do not have the power to change the mind of Chick-fil-A’s founder and CEOs, I do have the power to keep my money out of their pockets and to encourage others to do so as well.
Shona McMorrow is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at [email protected].
David Hunt 1990 • Nov 7, 2019 at 12:10 pm
@Andrew:
It is not enough to tolerate; one must cheer. One must subsume one’s own identity to the Collective – and the collective dictates.
Andrew Zampariolo • Nov 6, 2019 at 7:45 am
For the sake of transparency since I don’t have a good picture to post, I’m a straight middle aged white male UMass alum – so let the bias of my identity do what it will by those who engage in identity nonsense. As for Chick Fil-A I don’t know what it’s like to be LGBTQ or how boycotting a chicken sandwich will make someone who is feel safe. But, if not eating a chicken sandwich because the owner of the store is Christian helps someone feel safe then that’s their inalienable right. But, I’m just not sure why Christian values and LGBTQ values can’t coexist and is the author here really just trying to create division where none really needs to exist. It seems like the opinion was pre-formed searching for any evidence supporting that belief. Citing the companies support for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes seems flimsy at best. Barack Obama once declared to the nation, just five short years ago, that he too needed time to evolve on the issue of same-sex marriage. So, maybe proponents of a Chick-Fil-A boycott can take a queue from our great former President and engage in some patience too. Evolution does not happen at the same pace for everyone. And, while you’re being patient, you can take pride in knowing you’ll be helping keep the climate safe. For, in a day and age where we’re taught cow flatulence is contributing to the carbon footprint, eating more chicken will make you a planet-saving hero – a least for those of you who are not vegan and still eat meat.
Sam • Nov 5, 2019 at 1:57 am
This is a great piece. It’s really difficult having to defend my bisexual, non-binary decisions not to support Chik-Fil-A to straight people (and other queer people too, apparently) without getting frustrated. This draws a succinct line between those who think it’s just chicken and those who know it’s about more than that. Thank you for this.
David Hunt 1990 • Nov 4, 2019 at 3:59 pm
You are absolutely within your right to not buy from them and to encourage them to change their policies.
Meanwhile, they have great food – and I’ll be going there this week.
Rydberg Constant • Nov 4, 2019 at 3:40 pm
In the time of cancel culture and blind, non factual attacks motivated by political beliefs, I love how refreshingly easy it is to agree with the author’s perspective. Show’s they’ve critiqued what they may come off as to someone who might disagree with them and making sure to address those counter arguments in a logical, meaningful way is hard to do but done here extremely well
Drew Sullivan • Nov 4, 2019 at 2:33 pm
As a gay man, Chic-Fil-A hasn’t taken away a single one of my rights. I feel completely safe and accepted regardless of their presence. The last thing I need is to have some virtue-signaling straight person get offended on my behalf.