NOVEMBER 19, 2019 BY MICHAEL STONE
Flip-Flops For Jesus: After announcing they will no longer support conservative Christian hate groups with an anti-LGBT agenda, Chick-fil-A backtracks by claiming they might support anti-gay “faith groups” in the future.
Earlier this week the chicken franchise made headlines after suggesting they were finished supporting anti-gay Christian hate groups by declaring they would no longer support the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, two conservative Christian organizations that have promoted bigotry and discrimination when it comes to the LGBT community and same-sex marriage.
However, the company has since clarified that while they will no longer be supporting the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, they still might support anti-gay Christian hate groups in the future.
Chick-fil-A says it will now focus its charitable efforts in three areas: education, homelessness, and hunger. But when asked more specifically, it did not go so far as to say that it will no longer donate to organizations that oppose LGBTQ rights.
In a statement confirming the fact that the popular chicken franchise may keep supporting Christian hate groups, Chick-fil-A President and COO Tim Tassopoulos told VICE:
No organization will be excluded from future consideration–faith-based or non-faith-based.
And there you have it. The flip-flop.
Reporting on the flip-flop, Pink News notes:
However, after a backlash from anti-LGBT conservatives and Republicans, the company appears to have quietly backtracked.
Indeed, after news of the new policy became public, many conservative Christians went into a rage, angry that their favorite chicken franchise was backing away from their policy of endorsing and financially supporting anti-LGBT Christian hate groups. And apparently, that rage was effective.
Earlier this year it was revealed that the southern-style chicken sandwich franchise and a self-identified Christian company gave over $1.8 million to anti-gay Christian hate groups in 2017.
The news set off a firestorm of criticism because previously the company had claimed they had stopped supporting anti-LGBT organizations. Yet despite repeated claims from the company that they were no longer anti-gay, they continued to actively support and fund anti-gay Christian hate groups.
Bottom line: After announcing they will no longer support conservative Christian hate groups with an anti-LGBT agenda, Chick-fil-A backtracks by claiming they might support anti-gay “faith groups” in the future.
