I don’t care what you do. I don’t care if you eat Chick-fil-A. I don’t care if you shop on Shein. I don’t care if you wear leather. I don’t care if you listen to Kanye. But I think that you should care about what you do and how your choices impact the world.
I’m not going to delude myself into thinking that everyone who eats Chick-fil-A is homophobic. However, if you eat Chick-fil-A while believing you’ve done all you can for the queer community, whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community or not, it’s very important to me that you know you’re wrong.
Let me start this by saying, assuming you do care about advocating for marginalized communities, I hope you look at your purchases in a new light and are willing to accept the weight of your decisions.
Chick-fil-A is good. Really good. I think we can all agree on that, so I’m not going to pretend that their chicken isn’t one of the greatest – if not the best – on the market.
In the same way that their chicken sandwiches are really good, Shein clothing is really cheap. Kanye has released one (or two, max) really good songs. I wear leather boots (then again, I’m not vegan).
But Shein is, all-around, terrible when it comes to clothing quality, working conditions and its overall impact on the environment. Kanye holds too many prejudices to list. And we all know where leather comes from (if you’re confused, just look at the Chick-fil-A mascot).
In the same way that wearing clothes from Shein while you listen to Kanye’s “Donda” isn’t the most mindful choice, eating at Chick-fil-A isn’t either. Chick-fil-A has been known to not only create an unsafe environment for queer workers but also has been financially supportive of homophobic charities.
A lot of people probably haven’t worked in a place where you felt genuinely afraid of being outed as LGBTQ+. A lot of people probably haven’t met anyone that has been to conversion therapy (a harmful and pseudoscientific form of “counseling,” often religious in nature, that pressures individuals to change themselves to become straight or cis).
A lot of people with no personal experience with these issues probably consider themselves allies to the LGBTQ+ communities and hold empathy for those that are impacted by these factors – and continue to eat at Chick-fil-A.
If you do eat Chick-fil-A, even if you identify as LGBTQ+, have you been to conversion therapy? Do you financially support queer causes to curb your funding of Chick-fil-A?
Since the landmark ruling of Bostock v. Clayton Country in 2020, queer people living in states without explicit protection over sexual orientation can no longer be fired on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
According to the official case syllabus, “Clayton County, Georgia, fired Gerald Bostock for conduct ‘unbecoming’ a county employee shortly after he began participating in a gay recreational softball league.”
Circumstances like this one are not far from “eating mor chikin.” Chick-fil-A is one of many businesses to reportedly have discriminated against workers on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace.
More than that, though, Chick-fil-A and its owner Dan Cathy have been unabashedly supportive of anti-gay causes in the past. While the corporation stopped endorsing and financially supporting these causes in 2019, Cathy still does.
“To say that Cathy isn’t Chick-fil-a and that Chick-fil-a isn’t Cathy is asinine,” The Esquire’s Justin Kirkland said.
But, chances are, you already know this. And chances are, you’ve still been eating their food, maybe even claiming that “the chicken is so good it’s worth it.” Maybe you think that, since you’re bisexual, it “cancels out” with supporting the company.
This is a horrible and selfish mindset. When you support Chick-fil-A, you support former CEO Dan Cathy and you support everything he stands for, even without his anti-gay beliefs. Not eating at Chick-fil-A is quite literally the least you can do to support the LGBTQ+ community, and yet it is the easiest choice – or lack thereof – to make.
Sure, Dan Cathy isn’t a complete supervillain (setting my personal opinion on him aside). And Chick-fil-A has, in fact, stopped donating directly to homophobic causes. But this is the bare minimum to repair the damage that has been done, and you need to consider where the profits from your chicken sandwich and waffle fries go.
Chances are, this writing isn’t going to change your mind. If you eat Chick-fil-A, you’re probably going to keep eating it. But all I’m asking is that you think about what you’re supporting, and whether you think having a good meal – a damn good meal – is worth the harm you’re causing others.
Robin Lopez • Jun 11, 2024 at 8:51 am
This is ridiculous. Live your life as a cow, a chicken, or a lesbian, but don’t force your ways on the rest of us. Get over yourself, if you are a trans “woman” get your own bathroom but stay out of mine and my daughters. Simple. Live and let live. You don’t have to agree with me and I certainly don’t have to agree with you. That USED TO BE the beauty of our country!
Terry • Sep 1, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Doesn’t seem like you actually believe in “live and let live” since you don’t want this person to live how they want to. They’re not harming you or children. It’s also not “simple” to get one’s own bathroom, that’s an extraordinarily ignorant statement. The amount of judgment that people have toward others who aren’t being hateful baffles me.
Emu • Jun 10, 2024 at 9:00 pm
Ehhgggg
Harvey • Mar 28, 2024 at 7:14 am
Okay sure. Fair points. But this argument can apply to a lot of things:
-don’t buy from Starbucks if you support unions
-don’t eat at McDonald’s if you support higher wages
-don’t eat at Taco Bell if you’re anti-Trump
-don’t eat at Wendy’s if you care about the environment
Chick-fil-A has sorta become this boogeyman entity for liberal people. The author of this article admits they haven’t made donations to problematic organizations in almost (more than??) 5 years now.
I get it. Boycott whatever you want. We all draw a line in the sand. I 100% your choices. But the second you start judging other people for their consumption choices, please please please understand they could very likely rightfully judge you right back.
Ry • Apr 13, 2024 at 7:25 pm
I just think it’s funny anyone would eat that garbage and call it good.
Furthermore the article is at the end of the day is correct and in the age of slactivists I say we have a judging party. I feel like you’d lose that argument. Anyone who can justify Chik-Fil-Trash
Probably is incapable of effective judgement of anyone.
There is no excuse to support these types of things except for we find them convenient.
And Americans are about that and care about nothing else.
Gary • Jun 6, 2024 at 11:47 am
Agreed!
Anonymous • Mar 1, 2024 at 1:39 pm
yeh well , the food ain’t that good , it’s chicken on a bun.. can get that anywhere… my money may not make a diff to them but it does to me.. I’m not folding just because a bunch of so called Christian old bitties eat there , they haven’t changed .,, they just decided to be gray instead of black or white.
james • Feb 4, 2024 at 11:51 pm
literally makes me want to eat at chick fil a more
Brian • Feb 17, 2024 at 4:25 pm
James, you’re so edgy and cool! Make love to a cactus.
Christine • Dec 29, 2023 at 2:04 pm
I believe in the biblical definition of marriage and gender (male and female). I’m not hating or bashing but I must follow Jesus Christ. I stopped eating at Chik fi let because it began to be more inclusive of ideas that were against God.
Roz • Jan 21, 2024 at 1:23 pm
Certain types of people believe it it is their divine right to hate God’s children whom they disapprove of, literally insulting God’s work. And what is most hypocritical about these type of people is that they arrogantly believe that they are true Christians, while deliberately not doing what Jesus would do.
Terry • Sep 1, 2024 at 2:19 pm
Roz, you’re so right. It shocks me that so many so-called Christians can be so discriminatory, judgmental, and hateful the exact opposite of what Jesus preached.
Fridrich Chillwel • Dec 1, 2023 at 5:06 am
so nice!
Vinnny Broun • Dec 1, 2023 at 5:05 am
so cool!