When 23-year-old New York bartender Josh Hune did the unthinkable and admitted to loving the food at Chick-fil-A, his friends didn’t take the news well. One friend in particular was very upset.
“He told me I was the worst gay in NYC,” Hune tells the New York Post. “But I personally don’t think my money or my going there is me saying I hate gays as well. I don’t think about it like that $7 is going to some foundation to stop gay marriage. For me, it’s just food.”
Hune is among a secret minority of gay New Yorkers who admit to being — get ready for it — excited that the Georgia-based fried chicken chain is opening more locations in their city.
Last month, the company announced it planned to open 108 new locations across the country in 2014, with “a good chuck of them” in New York City. Chick-fil-A, of course, has a history of donating to antigay causes, and CEO Dan Cathy has been a vocal opponent of equal rights for gay people for years.
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Not all gay Chick-fil-A fans are quite so forthcoming about their affinities for the conservative chicken giant’s food. Many still keep their forbidden love a secret. William, who requested his last name not be used out of fear of backlash over his choice, is a 26-year-old digital strategist who tells the New York Post Chick-fil-A is simply too delicious to quit.
“I have a healthy fear of the gay mafia,” he says. “But the crispy chicken is orgasmic. This sounds terrible because it’s fast food, but it’s the most tender chicken I’ve ever had.”
William notes a hypocrisy within the gay community. Many people who oppose Chick-fil-A, he says, still frequent other companies that also have conservative execs in charge, including Urban Outfitters, Papa John’s Pizza, Exxon, the Salvation Army, Purina, and Cracker Barrel.
“It would shock you,” William says. “You wouldn’t be able to step out of your house if you boycotted them all.”
For Peppermint, a Harlem-based drag queen, the fact that Chick-fil-A’s CEO has a history of vocally opposing gay rights is a nonissue.
“He apologized for injecting that into the business,” she says. “I support that. I’m a firm believer that you should be able to believe what you want, as long as it doesn’t infringe on my quality of life or stop me from doing what I want to do or getting food from the Chick-fil-A.”
She adds: “I want to live in a place where people can think differently. That’s what humans do.”
26-year-old Robert Brigman, who works as a concierge, shares Peppermint’s sentiment. The “Republican-leaning” gay man grew up in Tennessee and doesn’t believe a business should be boycotted over one person’s opinions.
“I could care less about Chick-fil-A making a stance,” he the New York Post. “They are allowed to have that opinion, and I’m allowed to have mine.”
“I think as a culture, we preach utter acceptance,” William says. “But as a community, we’re not always accepting — we can very much be a–holes about stuff.”
“For people on the wrong side of the issue, marriage equality is becoming a moot point,” Peppermint adds. “It’s inevitable. It’s happening. Whether you support it or not, everyone who’s married and gay is going to be coming into your restaurant, and you’re going to have to live with it.”
Photo credit: New York Post
Stache99
“I don’t think.. For me, it’s just food.”
Yup. I agree. He doesn’t think.
At any rate, even if it didn’t have it’s history I’d still never eat there. Crappy food.
deltabadhand
That’s the great thing about freedom of speech. Chik-fil-a dude can say what he wants, folks can withhold dollars via boycott against his bigotted dumbass if they want, or like these mental midgets in the story they can patronize the stores and the rest of can express what awful, unprincipled people they are. Everybody wins!
CleJoke
NAZI pink maffia is at it again. I hate all these protest everything. Chcik-fil-a, Walmart, Target, RuPaul’s Drag Race… the list is endless!
PROTEST BREATHING!
damn curmudgeons
jar
Where did they find these losers? It’s not surprising that at least one of them is republican. They’ve always eschewed the battle but enjoyed the fruits of the battle.
jar
@deltabadhand: Well said.
Thomathy
Just how the hell do people like Peppermint think America got to where it is now on marriage equality?
If these are representative of arguments against organised boycotts, the ‘gay mafia’ can well ignore the people who espouse them. Fallacious logic and wilful ignorance of reality aren’t a threat when they come from those gays.
barkomatic
If all the causes to stand up for–they decide to support a fast food chain with a small minded CEO.
WuzUpYall
They are New Yorkers what do you expect.
WuzUpYall
@CleJoke: Poor thing. If you are so sick, you really should get a doctor dear.
Lvng1tor
@CleJoke: Yeah! Screw people with a mind and want to be edumacated on socal stuff. All these gays with thier selfrespect and speekin there minds using there money to not shop at places that are owned by true ‘mericans. How dare thay! Thay are the REEL BULLYS! besides with such mind swayin quootes like…“I have a healthy fear of the gay mafia,” he says. “But the crispy chicken is orgasmic. This sounds terrible because it’s fast food, but it’s the most tender chicken I’ve ever had.”
Seriously! These people are aloud to eat where they want to eat but they really are not making any true social statement. In their attempts to use the old “Stop being intolerant of intolerance” argument they truly show how ignorant they are of the real world and how little they value themselves.
Trying to say that “I think as a culture, we preach utter acceptance,” William says. “But as a community, we’re not always accepting — we can very much be a–holes about stuff.” Like, maybe saying I don’t like that you use money I spend at your establishment to try and pass laws against my basic individual rights is totally being an a*hole. Is he on crack or just that simple? or “26-year-old Robert Brigman, who works as a concierge, shares Peppermint’s sentiment. The “Republican-leaning” gay man grew up in Tennessee and doesn’t believe a business should be boycotted over one person’s opinions.” It’s not their opinions that matter. Everyone has their opinions but not everyone uses their money and influence to deny a segment of the population access to the same rights and benefits they enjoy. Actively trying to ensure they are seen as less than them in the eyes of the law.
As for Peppermint… that girl is just hitching her wagon to anything can get her enough publicity to get her to a place where she can one day look up and see mediocre as a goal.
hyhybt
Right about at least one point: saying people shouldn’t support the company by soending their money there is one thing, and demanding they not like the food another entirely.
Pitou
@Lvng1tor: Gurl, “As for Peppermint… that girl is just hitching her wagon to anything can get her enough publicity to get her to a place where she can one day look up and see mediocre as a goal”… Fuckin-A was that funny!!!
Desert Boy
Josh Hune isn’t just the worst gay man in NYC. Josh Hune is the worst gay man in the USA.
jar
@WuzUpYall: None of them are NYers. They’re all transplants from elsewhere in the country bringing their small-mindedness to NYC. It’s a sad epidemic here.
Cam
Basically what you have here is a bunch of vapid folks living in one of the most gay friendly cities in the country where they have full marriage rights, protections against discrimination etc… so they think why should they care that they are pouring money into the pockets of people who are doing everything possible to not only harm them but are successfully harming gays in other less open states and in other countries.
Remember money from Chik Fil Et went to organizations that helped push through the kill the gays style laws in Uganda.
lcandela123
I love the food at Chik-Fil-A, too. The chicken sandwiches are moist and delicious. The fries are crispy and delicious. The restaurants are impeccably clean. The servers are as sweet and nice as can be.
I don’t eat there anymore.
Look, there are lots of wonderful places to eat. The chicken at KFC is amazing. The pizza at Pizzeria Uno is scrumptious. The burgers and fries at Wendy’s are marvelous.
So why go to a restaurant owned by a guy that contributed huge wads of money to strip us of our rights? why, why, why? Good chicken is not enough.
ezywonder
the right to vote against your own self interest….
Derek Williams
I don’t live in the USA but if I did, I would patronise stores that at the very least weren’t bible thumping against my civil rights, and ideally, were at least ok with me being treated as an equal citizen.
Captain Obvious
Earth to the whiniest queens who have ever existed… A boycott is not a boycott if no one even notices. You’ve failed, it’s been over, and yet you’re still pretending to be “boycotting” by not going there and nothing more. That just means you’re not a customer like the other billions of people who have never been into a Chic-Fil-A in their lives. The world keeps turning, Chic-Fil-A keeps existing.
Get over it. This “Chic-Fil-A boycott” will never become a thing. No one cares.
Have you ever heard the phrase “Pick your battles.”? This guy is not in power, he’s not keeping us from any rights. Crying and giving him attention only provided plenty of free advertising for Chic-Fil-A.
You morons are the reason for all this Chic-Fil-A expansion because you simply couldn’t shut up about the restaurant. You work against yourselves and the rest of us because you don’t even understand the fundamentals about what activism is, what it stands for, and how to go about doing it. No one is taking us seriously thanks to utter bullshit like this.
You cannot WHINE about everything. You have to get out and do things that pertain to us. There’s no button to press online that fixes world issues.
Wake up or shut up. Stop advertising for Chic-Fil-A and then having the audacity to bitch at and about gay people who still eat there. You’ve given the business a lot more money than they have. Stupid and ignorant aren’t strong enough adjectives.
jaleoman
It should not matter where those people are from, whether they are from
NY, TN, or Cuba, we as a community need to stick together,
And support the organizations that ( embrace, and want the best for us),
Not support the companies that discriminate and don’t want us.
Somebody will have to not love or self respect for themselves, to support a company
That want to continue oppressing us. It sadden me to see that. You will never see a company
Donating money for an organization against the Latinos, blacks or whites, because they know
That they will lose that market for ever.
DarkZephyr
@Captain Obvious: You must be one unhappy, bitter little troll.
“Get over it. This “Chic-Fil-A boycott” will never become a thing. No one cares.”
Dan Cathy doesn’t seem to share your sentiment, which is why he went on his butt kissing tour.
Dinodogstar
“..no one can’t convince me, we are not gluttons for our doom.’
-Indigo Girls
Just bc someone is gay, does not make them sensitive to the plight of others, aware or even barely concerned about the un-obvious way that we are oppressed. With each dollar you give, you are voting, in a sense, a message of financial and like-minded support. It is further bizarre when a person support a company that openly and actively promotes discrimination, ESPECIALLY when it is personally relevant to you..but many gays are just gay, and the status of it does not make them concerned beyond their own gut or backyard. Gay people need to not be swooned by the larger, growing climate of societal tolerance, and forget to live a self-examined, conscientious life, with empathy for others, and not just those who are gay, but all who are oppressed. It is our chief duty as gay people to be vigilant about intolerance and hate, whomever it is targeting..
Cam
@Captain Obvious: said…
“Earth to the whiniest queens who have ever existed… A boycott is not a boycott if no one even notices. You’ve failed, it’s been over, and yet you’re still pretending to be “boycotting” by not going there and nothing more. That just means you’re not a customer like the other billions of people who have never been into a Chic-Fil-A in their lives. The world keeps turning, Chic-Fil-A keeps existing.”
_________________
Oh really troll? Funny then that the owner tried to come on TV and somewhat backtrack, funny that they have had more than one franchise kicked out of it’s location, and lastly…..it’s a long game. Every month there are a few more offices that won’t order from Chik Fil Et because of a gay employee who asks them not to, there are more and more families that won’t eat there because their kid comes home from school and tells them not to.
Bigots like you are can’t even win most elections anymore….trust me, Chick Fil Et is a waiting game, and we’re winning.
NG22
I’m gay, I’m a New Yorker, and I’ve never tasted Chick-fil-A. I’ve never been inside one. I’ve never even seen one.
Is it wrong that I want to try it? Like, just once in life? Maybe you shouldn’t ask me when I’m hungry.
Lvng1tor
@Captain Obvious: For someone who doesn’t care you seem to care a lot.
As for a “boycott” I think you are right. There is no boycott, only continued education and highlighting of places that may be working against gays over all equal rights.
You are completely wrong that gays are the reason for the expansion…seriously you just can’t back that crap up man.
As for no one taking gays seriously….ya can’t back that up either.
just keep insulting people and complaining and maybe just maybe something useful will come from your WHINE filled rant about not caring.
As for this queer…I will post my opinion, blog abt what I feel are anti gay antics and I get out and do something. This idea of who we give our money to are important and if you can’t see that then what are your ideas on how to move forward?
maxdadmark
Who is this fugly drag queen “Peppermint”? Not only fugly, but not much upstairs. “As long as it doesn’t affect my quality of life.” Really? REALLY? This corporation DOES effect MY quality of life, and the lives of millions of gay people whose lives are at risk from Dan Cathy’s political donations. Maybe this tragedy in overly-stressed heels life is so crappy, that eating this fast food junk and giving him money doesn’t effect him/her. It is the blasé attitude of some of you who enjoy certain freedoms that you didn’t fight for, and cavalierly think that it is no big deal to patronize multi-millionaires and billionaires’ companies that hate our very existence that is so tragic. These wealthy hogs then donate money to political campaigns which not only act to take away our gains, but also the lives of the poor, women, and minorities.
Joincny
Gay people are their own worst enemies. How do you think people are going respect you if you can’t even stand up for your own rights?
Alan down in Florida
What kind of lousy sex is Josh Hune having that he thinks Chick-Fil-A is orgasmic?
willji
This type of food is going to kill them anyway.. Decent fast food is alright in small doses but this looks just awful, I hope they don’t open places in this country, McDonald’s has done enough damage..
Shannon1981
These people are despicable. They have no argument. This isn’t just about one man having an opinion. This is about a corporations entire charitable arm donating tens of thousands of dollars-perhaps more by now- rabidly homophobic hate groups.
This “Peppermint” queen says that they are “not affecting [my] quality of life.” Newsflash, sweet cheeks: they are. And you’re helping them by spending your money there.
bamboo_child
just imagine if we put all of our energy and effort over fast food towards a cause that really matters like gay homeless youth or the STI rates that are increasing
mezzacanadese
I don’t see how Chik-Fil-A stays in business. Not only because of their homophobic philosophy, but because their food is terrible. I went to one in Massachusetts in the ’90’s and never went back because the food is terrible.
jonjct
think of it this way girls, the money you spend at chick-whatever comes right back to you on your food stamp card, your obamacare membership and your sex change operation, all subsidized by the tax paying chick business and handed to you because you are so needy by a democrat government. in the end it all comes out even, so if you want your gender re-assignment surgery, go get a chicken sandwich, right now. gays have to get over this sh*t fast.
jonjct
wait, Josh Hune is gay? Who knew?
Derek Williams
@jonjct: So we should shop at stores hostile to LGBT equality? Not me, sorry.
maxdadmark
You didn’t get that this “jonjct” is just a troll, taking a whack at gays and democrats, did you?
Daveliam
I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE Chik-Fil-A food. I grew up in an area that had them and I ate it my entire life. I live in NY, so it’s not really an option, and even if it were around I wouldn’t give them my money. But god damned if I don’t miss the Chik-Fil-A sandwich with the pickle on it. It’s sooo freaking good.
jonjct
@maxdadmark: you said: “this “jonjct”, you are sounding so gay here, lol. i think you are. and you’re a dem … right? lol.
maxdadmark
Where’s my Deep Woods Off when I need it. Buzz off!
Faggot
Josh Hune is from San Antonio, Texas who studies at NYU.
He is not a New Yorker.
There is just one Chick-fil-A in NYC, and that is on University Place right near NYU. Middle America followed him.
Let’s get something straight: a New Yorker is someone who is born and raised in NY and who lives in the city. Actually, residency is not even a requirement. Someone who was born and raised in the city, but now lives anywhere else is still a New Yorker. Conversely, you may acquire New York residency coming from elsewhere, but you’ll never be a New Yorker.
A native New Yorker doesn’t eat at Chick-fil-A or other chain eateries.
yousir75
Well, it goes to show that every group has members that are ignorant & self-centered.
RayJacksonMs
Every group’s got their Uncle Toms. We should beat the shit out of ours.
jar
@Faggot</ I hate your name, but you are right about NY.
jar
@Captain Obvious: Oh, honey, you missed a letter in your name, L to be exact. First of all, moron, the expansion was planned before the boycott. So, the boycott delayed the expansion plan.
Furthermore, you seem to be under the juvenile impression that a boycott is unsuccessful if it does not shut down a company. Silly you.
So, please do share with us your knowledge of gay rights advancement. I’m in giggles just waiting.
jonjct
@jar: not true, there is a “rule” that if you live in the city 10 years, you qualify as a new yorker.
jmmartin
I just hope Josh asks God to forgive him for dining at (or near) Chic-Fil-A, for some of his friends cannot. Praying to the Lord would be sublimely appropriate, for it is the restaurant chain founder’s religious beliefs that guided his decision to never knowingly employ an lgbtq person. Dan Cathy is afraid he himself might be a honoshekshual (his word, not mine) because, after all, he was bullied in school when schoolmates began to call him by his last name and tittered when the teacher called the roll (always done last name first, same as the Army, where Cathy was bullied anew). As for religion, he merely uses the 5,000-year-old desert warlord rantings of Leviticus and the homophobic, misogynistic rants of Saul-Paul to justify his internalized homophobia.
petensfo
Why would anyone help to fund their own discrimination?
They’re either stupid, or… nope, they’re just stupid.
maxdadmark
@Daveliam: They are fairly easy to make at home, and you can use a whole grain bun and skip the fries, if you think the sandwich is so good. Homophobic corporations aside, there is not ONE fast food company that makes good food. We are all just trained to lap up salty, greasy, nutrient empty food. I have NEVER gone to a Chik-fil-A, but I did find this recipe for “Chik-so-Gay” on YouTube. It was very good. Or you can continue to support those who would see us silenced and with adult-onset diabetes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNq8r4S5jSk
maxdadmark
@jonjct: “Girls”? you and Captain Obvious-only-to-Himself seem to be using age old taunts to distract people making intelligent points from your empty arguments. Why are you such self-loathing homophobes?
Miss Understood
New York City used to have very few chain stores at all. High rents have made it difficult for small businesses to survive. Apart from this controversy I’m all for supporting small businesses over these greasy, unhealthy, low-wage-paying, soulless chains. Fast food which is actually freshly prepared onsite: falafel, bahn mi (delicious Vietnamese sandwiches), pizza, fresh bagels, gyros, panini, sushi, dumplings, and dozens of variations of chicken sandwiches from your local deli, cafe, diner, Latin joint, or Middle Eastern place.
Zekester
Since when have selfish assholes been a SECRET subclass in the gay community? Everyday is a Pride parade for the ones I know, with Andrew Sullivan as the permanent Grand Marshall.
maxdadmark
@Miss Understood: Right on, Missy! ‘Coz New York City keeps bubbling up!
maxdadmark
@Zekester: They’ve always been around. They just couldn’t reach such a wide audience from their mothers’ basements in the past. Now all they have to do is wait until no one’s around, they can pop a few nips, and spread their manure to a wide audience. But don’t worry, most of these haters wouldn’t DARE speak to us in person like they post here.
Stache99
“Whether you support it or not, everyone who’s married and gay is going to be coming into your restaurant, and you’re going to have to live with it.”
I’ve never heard such a collection of stupid in people. Ok maybe I have but these vapid queens are just so clueless. You have this over riding need to smack the stupid out of them.
kodienyc
Out of fear and ignorance, gay people have become their own worst enemies, and Queerty and other right-wing gay media are happy to push this sad state of self-loathing and desperation further. It’s typical but reprehensible of Queerty to promote the kind of hideous ignorance that the gay persons featured in the story evidence, and it’s painful to watch this kind of extreme ignorance touted as a humorous and acceptable thing. Promoting the idea that indiscriminate consumerist likes and dislikes are in any way a relevant question to gay life, and that they are more important than political abuse is a disastrous line to push, and the terrible effects of promoting such lines are piling up more every day in the form of, among many other things, gay suicide rates, gay denial of reality, and drug abuse and addiction among gay men and women.
DickieJohnson
Why anyone would actually CHOOSE to eat at Chik-fil-A-gag is beyond me, especially in NYC. I’ve been there several times, staying with a bud in Chelsea. With all the wonderful ethnic restaurants, a bad fried- chicken sandwich should be about last on the to-eat list. Let the gay-haters suffer from heart problems and diabetes!
DK
@petensfo: Not everyone. For example, my local Chick fil-A franchisee is a supporter of marriage equality and a donor. Owners like him put pressure on Dan Cathy to apologize for dragging them into his orbit of bigotry, which he did (my words, he actually said he was sorry for politicizing his company).
Should my local franchisee be villified and boycotted because of stupidity from company headquarters that he vocally opposed? I don’t think so — he actually gets more gay customers now. *shrug*
jonjct
@maxdadmark: i have NO idea what you are talking about. translation please. … actually, don’t bother, i don’t care. but thanks.
Curtispsf
I don’t hate Chick fil-A nor do I hate the PC Police for telling us all what to do, starting with where/what to eat and who we can affiliate with or whether to use “cis” or that. What I DO despise is Queerty’s injection of “controversy” whether faux, imagined, or real, into a situation all in the name of click revenue. Got to drive those numbers up. Queerty acts as if this issue is right up there with nuclear terrorism.
I stopped the onslaught of media overload by choosing not to watch cable news anymore…and now with a click of the button, I am unsubscribing to Queerty. Understand the issues, and eat whatever YOU choose. There may be implications for those choices, but PLEASE, stop acting as if YOUR perspective is any better or more correct than other perspectives.
Jerry12
What most people do not know, is that copy machines enlarge the document they are copying by one percent to avoid having a black edge on the copy. Therefore, it is easy for for people in businesses that involve “Lease” documents, to check if a prospective Tenant has altered a Lease that was sent to them for signature. — Just hold up a copy of the document made at the same time as the one sent to the prospective Tenant. If the two documents are not exact copies, one will be slightly larger than the other. Detailed proof reading will locate the change. If the Landlord decides to accept the change, they will just sign the Lease without comment. If the Landlord does not wish to accept the change, the prospective tenant will never hear anything again from the Landlord. The President of a company I worked for did not accept the change.