In light of the whole Chic-FIl-A fiasco...

[Guest JennaMarieTX]

Some of the organizations CFA supports do have anti-LGB stances, but that is a small part of what those companies stand for as a whole. Two of the big ones cited against CFA are there support of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Focus on the Family. Both of these organizations do allot of things that make me upset, and they do allot of things that are amazingly good for the community. Ive seen first hand what the FCA has done for some people, my father was contracted by them as a graphic designer for most of my life. If I try to boycott every corporation or organization that has practices or beliefs that I dont agree with I would never be able to partake in any organization in our country. None of them are perfectly inline with my beliefs. I weigh the costs of the good and the bad and make my decisions that way.

This may sound like blasphemy coming from a trans person who identifies Bi, but there are things more important to me than who the government recognizes my marriage too.

-Evalyn

Evalyn, I would like to respectfully point out that if your Dad had been identified by FCA as being either gay or transgendered, he would likely not have gotten the job.

[KathrynJulia]

Chick-fil-A has announced that they are homophobic. They support and donate large amounts of money to groups and organizations that actively denounce the GLBT community, and it is my understanding that some of these groups even condone so-called "aversion thereapy" for gays, and likely for transgender people as well. While the president of Chick-fil-A claims they do not hate gays, his actions speak louder than words.

In 1961, I had Aversion Therapy. My experience with it would cause me at this point of my life to cause extreme violence on somebody who tried it on me again. It is just plain wrong to do to someone. It is about as effective as electro-shock treatments and frontal lobatomy. I was 6 years old at the time and it caused me to start wetting the bed at night , nightmares, anxiety, and depression. All it accomplished was to shove me so deep in the closet that I was too afraid to come out. I engaged in self mutilation when I was 12 and it took a psychiatrist weeks to get me to open up to her. I was afraid they would put me back into Aversion Therapy.

That is why my heart sings when I hear of successful transition by young people today. They aren't living in the Dark Ages anymore. Kathryn

[Guest Sarinah]

Evalyn, I would like to respectfully point out that if your Dad had been identified by FCA as being either gay or transgendered, he would likely not have gotten the job.

I am certain you are correct. My father is adamantly opposed to my transition. He financially supports many Christian organizations that are openly anti LGBT. I take a stance of unconditional love for all people and even if they want to spit in my face and kill me I am not going to expel them from my life. I will love them because of what I believe in, not what they believe in. Even in that I am selfish because I cannot go back to being the angry bitter person I was. It will kill me.

-Evalyn

[MackenzieB]

I'm not eating at Chik Fil A. I don't care how good it is, it's not worth driving 405 miles to get to the closest one.

[Guest Janice Lynn]

I'm not eating at Chik Fil A. I don't care how good it is, it's not worth driving 405 miles to get to the closest one.

Agreed. 360 miles here. If this is as much of an issue as some think, this is a

good time to begin organizing for the where-ever-the-heck-it -is "Chick-fil-A"

bowl.

[Guest kelise]

Yes, the issue is not their beliefs or what they say. The issue is the MILLIONS of dollars they've given to hate groups. As an LGBT peson and Athiest I'm already strongly against their beliefs, but that's not what would stop me from eating there, it's the thought that the money I spend there could then go to help building more road blocks between me and my marriage.

[Guest kelise]

OH, and I might also add the company scored a zero on HRC's equality index, meaning they do not extend ONE benefit or protection to either lgbt employees or their partners. On ANY corperate level, NO protection against hiring discrimination, termination discrimination, promotion discrimination, pay discrimination, no health insurance coverage for same-sex partners or partner's children, nor any other benefits like retirement pension etc, no anti-harassment policies, nada.

[Guest Velanna]

Yes, the issue is not their beliefs or what they say. The issue is the MILLIONS of dollars they've given to hate groups. As an LGBT peson and Athiest I'm already strongly against their beliefs, but that's not what would stop me from eating there, it's the thought that the money I spend their could then go to help building more road blocks between me and my marriage.

Except for the marriage part (partially), I agree 100% here! After finding out that they do indeed contribute to anti-LGBTQ groups...I'm not going to help them go against me!

[Guest Lupi]

My opinion? Chic-Fil-A does not believe in basic Human rights, therefore: they can burn in Hell.

[Carolyn Marie]

Jon Stewart did a great piece on the Chic-fi-la blowup last week. He took out a (apparentlty) real bible, and began reading various sections of the Old Testament related to marriage, including a part about paying a dowery in the foreskins of slain enemies, and a section on how infidelity is punishable by death.

The point being, of course, that one should not pick and choose only those portions of The Book written by God that fit your needs, and leave out all the portions, supposedly equally valid, that are "inconvenient." I might have more respect for Christian and other bible thumping literalists when I see a few right wing conservative philanderers being stoned to death by their colleagues. After all, its in the bible!

Carolyn Marie

[Sally]

You know that they are donating to and actively working against gay rights when they make such a stance - nowhere is there a requirement that a fast food restaurant issue a mission statement on any philosophy other than delivering food that is safe to eat.

I never liked the Chic-fil-a sandwich that much because I do not like pickles and in those early days they would open a sandwich that was sitting under the heat lamps and remove the pickle and re-wrap the sandwich - I could taste the pickle juice and why not, you could see the green stain.

They also tended to be one of the slowest fast food restaurants in the malls and I only got a 30 minute lunch - on to Taco Bell.

Love ya,

Sally

[Bulldog1948]

I'd never heard of them until they sponsered some bowl game. We don't have any around here.

Mike

[JJ]

My daughter loves their food but when I told her what they do she vowed never to eat there again,

Johnny

[Guest jennipher]

I honestly just don't understand why a fast food place would feel the need to spout opinions on anything so utterly unrelated to their services.

[Guest Velanna]

Carolyn Marie, that is very true!

Most people hate the WBC, myself included, but I give them props for at least following the bible through and through. Although I disagree and feel they shouldn't be allowed to protest funerals, they still don't really pick and choose from the bible for what's convenient. Ah well..

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Disney World once had two homosexual men removed from the park, for dancing with one another. This caused an uproar in the GBLT community. In the end, there was no effect on Disney's profits and it did not change it's stance until many years later. To me this was a much more serious than the opinion of Chick-Fil-A's President. Disney took action that directly affected people. The President of Chick-Fil-A merely voiced his opinion. This issue is much ado about nothing. The only reason this is a quasi-issue is because politicians want us to give them our vote, instead of them earning it.

[Guest kelise]

Crissy, perhaps you should read the whole thread. As it's been said this has nothing to do with the CFA's president's opinions, it's about the millions of dollars CFA has given to organizations that build roadblocks against gay marriage. I would say that directly effects people. I've never heard this story about Disney World. If it's true, it happened a long time ago and Disney has very much changed it's stance as not only are they home to the biggest gay pride event in the world, but their company insurance paid for my surgery, in full.

[Paula ult]

There is a CFA about a mile down the road from where i live, i ate there a couple years ago, the food was not that good so i have never gone back, after reading about all the money that they donate to anti LGBT organizations and their stance on gay marriage i will never eat there again.

Paula

[Guest Velanna]

Crissy, I gotta agree Kelise. I've never heard of that Disney story and Chic-Fil-A is donating lots of money to anti-LGBT groups. So they are directly effecting the LGBT community. I'll have to look into that Disney story, though. As far as I've known, Disney has been pretty LGBT friendly. Perhaps in their earlier years 'twere not so. Which seems a likely story seeing that times have changed as well as beliefs.

[VickySGV]

I am aware of one Disneyland vs. Gay incident that took place about 35 years ago out here in the Anaheim park. The problem was not just the dancing, but was the fact that NO Booze was allowed in the park then. I actually knew someone who saw it. On that one it was a 50/50 snot fest of the park security guards and the two dancers. The park made it a policy shortly thereafter that same sex dancing was OK since it caused a problem with their Grad Nights where girls wanted to dance with each other, since the guys were too shy to do it.

I have been to both Disney parks out here as myself and know several gay people who work there. There have even been special pride days here at Anaheim. In one of the Main Street Electrical Parades a few years ago, Alice of Wonderland fame who rode on top of a mushroom was a CD.

Our chicken murderers have not turned around, and are putting MONEY against GLBT to silence their civil rights.

[Guest Stormrider2112]

Nearest one is about 70 miles from me, and the one time I had it, it was awful...so yeah, with their poor food and poor political choices (IMO), I see no need to go there.

[JJ]

They just did a news story on the local news that the governor of Arkansas had declared this "Eat At Chic Fill A Day" in honor of their anti LGBT stand and that the one in Little Rock had been overwhelmed by people flocking to eat there today.

Makes me feel ill about where I live. On the same day I can't find a Dr willing to deal with trans needs. My Dr declined and knows of no one in the state who will.

Not a good day here.

Johnny

[Carolyn Marie]

There were a couple of pro-CFA demonstrations out here, too. A couple of locations got a dozen or two demonstrators to show up. Meh, people are entitled to feel however they want to feel. It's the Supreme Court justices we need to worry about in the next year or so, not a restaurant chain with mediocre sandwiches.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Kai Reddtail]

I don't know how much my opinion counts because:

1) There are no CFA restaurants here. Possibly not even in Canada.

2) I'm vegetarian so I wouldn't eat there to begin with.

However, for what it's worth, I would stop eating there. Yes, they have a right to their opinion (let's push aside the funding of harmful anti-gay groups for the sake of argument) but I would have a right to boycott them because of it. I also have a right to my own opinion and can therefore criticize them as much as I want for it.

Some people seem to get this idea that freedom of speech means their opinions are somehow immune to criticism.

"Well it's my opinion! I have a right to my opinion!" Yes, and I have a right to tell you if I think your opinion is moronic and arse-backwards.

[Guest Velanna]

Kai, that is very true! I do see a lot of people get all heated over someone criticizing CFA. For good reason, though! I also however, saw people get heated when Oreo announced their support for gay marriage. I just don't truly understand what all the bickering is about, honestly. No matter how much people bicker, no one is going to have a sudden change of heart!

But in all honesty, you're totally right! People will have opinions, thoughts, and beliefs and someone will always disagree with them!