It is hard to deny just how delicious Chick-fil-A is. Whether it is the 12-piece nuggets dipped in the eponymous sauce or a spicy chicken deluxe sandwich washed down with a sweet and tangy lemonade, it is a great place to get a fast-food meal that is a step above McDonald’s or Wendy’s. On top of all that, the customer service is always impeccable, and the staff never fails to respond to any request with “my pleasure.” Chick-fil-A was always one of my favorite restaurants to go to as a kid all the way up until I came to college. Unfortunately for the Georgia-based restaurant, they have lost my business because of their ties to anti-LGBTQIA+ groups.
Some may remember the beginning of this controversy when Chick-fil-A Chief Operating Officer Dan Cathy stated his displeasure with same-sex marriage, stating “those who have the audacity to define what marriage is about were inviting God’s judgement on our nation,” according to the Los Angeles Times. In a responding statement, Chick-fil-A did not change its stance and only said that the restaurant would be focused on food and hospitality while same-sex marriage will be handled by policy-makers.
After some initial backlash from politicians, celebrities and the LGBTQIA+ community, the national debate seemed to die down and a lot of people continued to eat regularly at the restaurant. However, Chick-fil-A has not stopped donating to these Christian groups, despite claiming it has no political affiliation. According to a Vox article from last month, The Chick-fil-A Foundation gave more than $1.8 million to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Salvation Army and Paul Anderson Youth Home — all groups with a history of anti-LGBTQIA+ discrimination. So even though the backlash has garnered less national media attention, the restaurant has not changed their stance despite some changes in law since Cathy’s original statement.
Upon reflection of these facts and reading the viewpoints of people who identify as LGBTQIA+ and those who do not, I have recently made the decision to stop eating at Chick-fil-A. This is not some saintly, courageous decision because it is something I should have done a long time ago. Instead, it is one of many perspectives that I have altered since coming to Wooster almost two school years ago. As a white cisgender man, I have not experienced anything close to the struggles that others face, but before coming to college, I even lacked the awareness of what was happening to groups that I did not identify with. I grew up in an area that was homogeneous in terms of ethnicity and gender-identification. In high school, we did not introduce our pronouns in class or discuss the discrimination that minority groups were facing locally, nationally or internationally. Therefore, my friends (and moreover, my family) and I would go to Chick-fil-A without thinking twice. I am now aware of how wrong this is.
The point of this article is not necessarily about Chick-fil-A, however, it may duly serve this purpose. Instead, it is my personal journey to becoming more aware as both a human being and member of groups that are in the majority. Additionally, it should also serve as a reminder that people cannot and should not be ignorant of the decisions they are making. It is well-reported that Chick-fil-A is linked to anti-LGBTQIA+ groups and even if one isn’t aware, they must be after reading this article. I cannot stop people from going to Chick-fil-A or any other restaurant with similar circumstances, but people cannot ignore what going to the restaurant represents nor can they get upset if other people automatically have a judgement due to their actions. It is important to be constantly aware of our position and what bigger issues are forwarded by our actions.
Samuel Casey, a News Editor for the Voice, can be reached for comment at SCasey21@wooster.edu.