Chick-fil-A: Boycott or Bust

February 2011

When I use to work at Lenox Mall, my best friend, Seth, and I would occasionally grab
lunch at Chick-fil-A. For fast food, it is admittedly a pretty good option in a food court.
Rich, yummy milkshakes and tender, seasoned chicken - letʼs be honest, the food is
good. Which is why both of us, fully aware of the companyʼs financial contributions to
anti-LGBT groups, could not muster our will to boycott their tasty, fatty treats.

We can publicly condemn Chick-fil-A for funding, and arguably promoting, anti-LGBT
sentiments, and sign petitions urging them to reconsider their business deals until weʼre
blue in the face. It wonʼt change anything. Chick-fil-A is a successful chain business,
and they care about profits above all else. Iʼm not a betting person, but I would wager
that if the LGBT and ally communities across the nation engaged in a massive boycott
campaign, it would bring an end to the flow of propaganda money and donations they
currently provide bigoted organizations.

It would be a huge undertaking. Everybody would have to be on board. First and

foremost, there would need to be the list of alternate fast food chains to eat at, who are
supportive of LGBT equality. We would also have hold at least a hand full of large
protests outside their locations. And the greatest challenge of all, would be to convince
others to eat elsewhere when Chick-fil-A seems the best or only decent fast food option.

Weʼre talking some serious, old-fashioned boycotting. Not an easy sell in todayʼs
culture. Even if we were to gather the masses and boycott, to protest alone is not
enough. We must make demands that Chick-fil-A publicly renounce the anti-gay agenda
in the U.S., and immediately cease food donations and funding to organizations that
openly or suggestively oppose LGBT equality.

All this seems like a major statement to make over some donated chicken sandwiches,
doesnʼt it? After all, Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy said they arenʼt supporting hatred or
bigotry, theyʼre just being good business neighbors by supporting local “community,
business and civic groups.” Sorry, Mr. Cathy, Iʼm not buying any bullshit sandwiches
today, and Iʼm not buying your chicken either.

In Cathyʼs address to the recent negative publicity related to the Pennsylvania Family
Institute, he had this to say: “We appreciate your support so much, and we want to
continue to serve our customers, and the communities, with dignity and dedication.” If
you question whether or not a boycott would work, read Cathyʼs remarks again. That
public statement made a point to seem sincere in thanking you for their profitable
business. Eat mor chikin, please.

Cathy addressed the issue publicly because they donʼt want to lose a single potential
sale over politics or rhetoric. The public relations nightmare an organized boycott would
create, combined with a large loss of sales, would force Cathy to address it over and
over again. A company tires of that kind of controversy, it takes away from actually doing
business.

To make an impact and send a real message to a company, you cannot buy their
products. Ever heard the expression, “Donʼt feed the hand that bites you?” Plenty of
religious conservatives love eating Chick-fil-A because itʼs their kind of food - fast, tasty,
Christian-based, and anti-gay.

If we win, Chick-fil-A will demonstrate that the almighty profit, above even religious
idealism, proves the deciding factor in who a company conducts business with. This
wouldnʼt solely be a win against their support of anti-LGBT organizations. A win against
a successful company like Chick-fil-A would send a clear message to other businesses
that who they directly support will impact the customers who fund their profits.

Stop eating at Chick-fil-A and hit ʻem where it hurts. Donʼt forget to send them a little
message, explaining why they no longer have your business, and that additionally,
youʼre telling everyone you know to do the same. I wrote one about two years ago and
never heard back, but that was just one voice. Think what could be done with bags of
mailed letters, email blasts, negative tweets, Facebook posts, and in-person protests.

Laura Gentle