When Rider University, a private university in New Jersey, recently asked students which fast-food restaurant they wanted on campus, administrators left Chick-fil-A off the list because of their anti-LGBTQ policies.
In response, a Chick-fil-A spokesperson told NBC News, “We have no policy of discrimination against any group, and we do not have a political or social agenda,” but this is untrue.
From 2003 to 2009, Chick-fil-A’s charitable organization, the WinShape Foundation, donated over $3.1 million to anti-LGBTQ groups like Focus on the Family which wants to jail gay men as “pedophiles.”
In 2012, the company’s president has publicly espoused “the biblical definition of the family unit” (that marriage is only between a man and a woman). That same year, the company made millions from “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day,” positioned by anti-gay conservatives as a day to support the company’s anti-gay marriage stance.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Afterwards, Chick-fil-A executives promised to stop supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations. But the company’s founder later denied this promise.
The company’s 2015 tax filings revealed that it had donated $1.4 million to anti-LGBTQ groups, including a youth group that believes child abuse causes homosexuality.
Related: McDonalds is throwing shade at Chick-fil-A for being antigay
In a public statement, Rider University said, “Chick-fil-A was removed as one of the options based on the company’s record widely perceived to be in opposition to the LGBTQ+ community.”
The statement continued, “That decision required a difficult assessment of competing interests. We sought to be thoughtful and fair in balancing the desire to provide satisfying options for a new on-campus restaurant while also being faithful to our values of inclusion.”
In 2018, Chick-fil-A’s president and chairman Dan Cathy was quietly removed as the keynote speaker at an international economic development conference. In an interview, Cathy once called marriage equality activists “prideful” and “arrogant.”
Canadian citizens recently protested the restaurant opening up franchises in Toronto over its anti-gay politics.
Queerty has reached out to Chick-fil-A to ask if they’ve continued giving to anti-LGBTQ organizations. We’ll update this story if they respond.
Chrisk
Papa Johns, Coors, etc. Always comes down to the shitty founders and their big mouths making life tough for the Corporation to make $.
fur_hunter
Cracker Barrel is another one. They will fire you if they find out you are gay. They did it to a lesbian manager several years ago. Also something about Red Lobster back several years ago but not sure if still holds water. I loved it when Frito Lay, a subsidiary of Pepsi, came out with the Rainbow Doritos. I bought a bag to save for posterity. GRIN!
ChrisGMN
I went to Rider University and am very proud of my alma mater for taking this stand. They are being absolutely crucified by bigots for doing this, but are standing their ground.
Click >>> www.g-letshave.fun
Real truth. And I would like to inform you about one great place to find love and pleasure. Just check my profile name. There are a lot of real gay sugar “daddies” and frivolous gay singles
GayEGO
Yay! Chickie Filet is losing again!
o.codone
Oh yeah, they’re really going under because of a Rider University boycott. Keep it real EGO.
fur_hunter
I met Truett Cathy back in the late 70s or early 80s at Airport Honda, a motorcycle shop in Atlanta. He seemed to be a really nice guy. It is so unfortunate that he, like so many others, have been caught up in a thing called ‘RELIGION’. Unfortunately, he believes the things he hears at church, thinking it is coming from God. He believes in a book of hearsay stories, written over 1500 years ago, none of which have been corroborated by legitimate and unbiased historical writings, thinking it is the word of God. What he forgets is that the entire thing was written by MEN. If I could, I would love to ask him if he would go to a doctor who uses a medical book written over 1500 years ago to treat his patients. Wonder what he would say?
o.codone
You’re on another planet if you think that knocking religion advances your agenda. Take your own inventory dude. Straighten your shit out before you shoot that mouth off in public. Cringe.
Chrisk
Yeah that makes perfect sense codeine. We mustn’t question the authority of the the Bible and the church. Lol
fur_hunter
I have to mention about Budweiser. After Miller Beer came out in the 80s and gave a huge donation to the Jesse Helms Center in North Carolina, the gay community were outraged, due to his stance on homosexuality. Gays immediately started a boycott of Miller Beer. Well…..Budweiser instantly came out with an ad that showed two men standing together, holding hands. I can’t remember the caption but it made EVERYONE know that the company had NO problem with gay folks. I hold a candle to ALL companies who understand and are tolerant and show….that Gays are REAL people, too, who deserve respect.
Brian
The first clearly gay advertisement I ever saw was one by Budweiser. I noticed it right around age 21, and it definitely influenced what I purchased at my first bars!