BIRD BRAINS

Activists Cry “Fowl” Over Chick-fil-A’s Homophobia, New Hollywood Nest

By · 15 comments · Updated on September 27, 2011

UPDATE:  Chick-fil-A is invading Hollwyood’s gay turf on Wednesday, Sept 22, with a new franchise on Sunset Boulevard at Highland Avenue. A Facebook page has already been created with details on a planned protest during the eatery’s opening weekend. If you’re in the neighborhood, help egg them on!

 

Like a chicken that’s been plucked, Chick-fil-A’s ties to Big Hate have been laid bare—and for some time now.

But Good as You recently shared a personal e-mail correspondence that shows the fast-food chain isn’t just homophobic, it’s hypocritical.

Why do those things always go hand in hand?

First let’s remember that Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy denies the poultry shack is anti-gay:

We’re a restaurant that has a hospitality that says we’re here to embrace everyone who wants to come and be part of Chick-fil-A,” says Cathy. “We have a whole spectrum of team members that work with us who are part of the gay and lesbian community. They know as employees of Chick-fil-A that they are welcomed, they are embraced, and they are part of the Chick-fil-A family. So to be identified with some sort of hate group that has a political agenda—that is not Chick-fil-A at all.”

Oddly, Cathy doesn’t consider Focus on the Family, the National Organization for Marriage, the Pennsylvania Family Institute or Exodus International—all of which have received money from Chick-fil-A—to have “a political agenda.”

Putting that aside, lets look at Chick-fil-A’s allegedly charitable arm, the WinShape Foundation. As Change.org points out:

“They’ve hosted conferences with some of the leading opponents of gay marriage in this country. A higher up at WinShape has even praised the efforts of anti-gay activist David Blankenhorn for working against marriage equality and for articulating a solid reason why American culture should reject same-sex couples.”

But in a new e-mail, representatives from the WinShape Foundation’s Retreat Center pretty much admit they have a mad-on for the homos.

It all started when an activist e-mailed WinShape about whether their retreat center was open to LGBT people. Their response?

“WinShape Retreat defines marriage from the Biblical standard as being between one man and one woman. Groups/individuals are welcome who offer wholesome, educational conferences and programs that are compatible with Biblical values and WinShape’s purpose.”

The group clarified its position in a follow-up e-mail that said, “We do not accept homosexual couples because of the statement in our contract.”

It’s enough to make you go vegetarian. Or at least go to Popeye’s.

Images via HectorIR, Duchamp