In recent days following the Bud light debacle (the brands capital hit is now at $27B, approaching a decrease of 20% in market value) there has been concern that Chick-fil-A has also embraced transgender ideology. The basis for that concern is the news that the chicken and pickles corporate heavy weight has hired a VP of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. IF that means that Chick-fil-A has “gone woke” it would a stunning capitulation for the company whose stated corporate purpose is:
“To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”
Why would I call this move a capitulation? Here’s why.
In June, 2012 Chick-fil-A CEO Daniel T. Cathy, son of the founder S. Truett Cathy made public comments in opposition to same sex marriage that offended LGBTQ activists who promptly called for protests and a national boycott. Supporters, led by then Arkansa Governor, Mike Huckabee, came out in droves and the net result was a $4.6B increase in sales for Chick-fil-A. The boycott failed.
It was also revealed that the Chick-fil-A had donated millions of dollars to organizations that the LGBTQ community believed were hostile to them. In response woke college students and officials in liberal cities called for either the eviction of Chick-fil-a franchises from universities and public spaces such as airports or revocation of permits to open new franchises in those same spaces. Others welcomed the franchise in their communities.
One month later in July 2012 Chick-fil-A announced: "Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena." Simultaneously, the brand stopped funding all organizations that were objectionable to the LGBTQ community except for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Five years later, in 2017 they added The Salvation Army to recipients of corporate donations. Both of those organizations ruffled the feathers of the LGBTQ community. In 2019 following continued objections from the LGBTQ community concerning how a private company chose to spend its money Chick-fil-A ceased funding both the Salvation Army and The Fellowship of Christian Athletes —even in the face of increased revenue due to their staunch allies.
Despite these corporate decisions, Dan Cathy remained firm in his beliefs regarding same sex marriage, stating in a June 2012 interview:
“I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage’. I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”
In another interview in July 2021 Cathy said:
"We are very much supportive of the family—the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that. ...We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that," Cathy emphasized. "We intend to stay the course," he said. "We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."
In 2019, Chick-fil-A determined that it would be best to avoid any cultural or political controversy and focus on selling chicken sandwiches and promoting organizations that address education, homelessness, and hunger.
So where does Chick-fil-A stand today? They’re walking a fine line.
Better At Together
"We are better together" — one of our core values at Chick-fil-A — means when we combine our unique backgrounds and experiences with a culture of belonging, we can strengthen the quality of care we deliver. Chick-fil-A, Inc.'s commitment to being Better at Together means embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in everything we do.
And this is how they propose to do that:
Chick-fil-A, Inc.’s commitment to EEO, Non-Harassment, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Chick-fil-A, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity, equity and inclusion. We make employment decisions on a non-discriminatory basis and remain committed to maintaining work environments free from any form of harassment.
It has been and shall continue to be our policy that we do not discriminate in employment decisions or tolerate any form of harassment based upon sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, pregnancy, age, physical and mental disability, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status and/or any other status, classification, or factor protected by federal, state, or local law. (emphasis added)
It remains to be seen if Chick-fil-A successfully maintains its position on the tight rope or if it wobbles and falls into the abyss of partnering with organizations like GLSEN.
But the larger issue is this. The LGBTQ community demands that their perceived rights supersede the rights of those who object to their lifestyle and ideology and, therefore, the LGBTQ community believes that it is right and just for them to destroy the businesses and lives of those who either oppose them or simply refuse to embrace their cause. There is no equity or inclusivity in that.
Union, Kentucky
3 June 2023