Earlier this week, Chick-fil-A made headlines for promising to stop donating to anti-LGBTQ+ organizations (once again) and the LGBTQ+ community was rightfully skeptical about the announcement. According to Christian evangelist Franklin Graham, Chick-fil-A has no plans to change its anti-LGBTQ+ ways.
Graham posted on Facebook that he personally spoke to Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, who assured him that the company has not wavered.
“Dan was very clear that they have not bowed down to anyone’s demands, including the LGBTQ community,” Graham wrote. “They will continue to support whoever they want to support. They haven’t changed who they are or what they believe. Chick-fil-A remains committed to Christian values.”
The fast-food chain had already made the claim that it will no longer donate to anti-LGBTQ+ groups. In 2017, Chick-fil-A donated $1.8 million to anti-LGBTQ+ organizations like the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Paul Anderson Youth Home. The company also maintains a relationship with Focus on the Family, which encourages those with same-sex attractions to instead identify as a follower of Jesus Christ and promotes reparative therapy aka conversion therapy to try to change people’s sexual orientation.
The company announced a major change to its charitable giving, but many LGBTQ+ people were wary or only cautiously optimistic. GLAAD, an LGBTQ+ rights organization, pointed out that the company still has a long way to go in terms of equality. “In addition to refraining from financially supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations, Chick-fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQ employees and should unequivocally speak out against the anti-LGBTQ reputation that their brand represents,” said Drew Anderson, GLAAD’s director of campaigns and rapid response.
When the Chick-fil-A made this announcement, they didn’t mention any changes to their charitable giving to organizations like the WinShape Foundation or the Paul Anderson Youth Home, or ending its relationship with Focus on the Family. These continued partnerships, along with Graham’s insights, are enough for any of us to hesitate before diving into full-fledged support of a company with a long legacy of anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs and actions.
