Chick-fil-A ruffled some feathers with their support of anti-LGBTQ organizations, but can they redeem themselves for abandoning them?Chick-fil-A is a famous chicken fast food eatery founded in 1946 by Samuel Truett Cathy. Cathy had a religious upbringing as a Southern Baptist from Eatonton, Georgia, teaching Sunday school for over 50 years. His religious essence is blended throughout the business practices of Chick-fil-A, such as closing down the restaurant on Sundays and other Christian holidays. Cathy’s religious influence has caused controversy, especially with Chick-fil-A’s support of known anti-LGBTQ organizations. According to Vox, tax filings showed that Chick-fil-A donated $1.8 million to these organizations in 2017, and the reaction was “fowl.”

Similar to Chick-fil-A, these organizations do not have anti-LGBTQ views as their primary focus. Rather, it is woven into the fabric of their identity. one instance is the Paul Anderson Youth Home that teaches gay marriage as “rage against Jesus Christ and his values.” The Paul Anderson Youth Home received organization received a measly $6,000 compared to the $150,000 The Salvation Army (TSA) was given. TSA is a Christian church and charity, offering aid and shelter to 109 countries with its 1.6 million members. TSA believes ,“that homosexual Christians must live celibate lives, since the Bible forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex.”

Chick-fil-A immediately “chickened out” after these actions were highlighted. They promised to no longer support the charities involved and made multiple statements backtracking towards neutrality. In one statement they suggested they would leave the same-sex policy debate to the government. They also mentioned their intent was to help fund children and education, hence why they will continue to support TSA. These  past actions will always be fairly roasted, but bad PR always seems to hatch new, progressive ideals.

To BuzzFeed, Chick-Fil-A stated, “We have no agenda, policy or position against anyone. We have a 65-year history of providing hospitality for all people and, as a dedicated family business, serving and valuing everyone regardless of their beliefs or opinions.”

Many LGBTQ organizations, such as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, have approached the news with “cautious optimism.” This is probably the best reaction to a capitalist enterprise responding to a problematic backlash. While many religious groups like The Heritage Foundation argue about the marketplace of ideas, they neglect to mention how their intolerance only advocates for their voices. Forgiveness should not apply to a 10.5 billion dollar company that values its monetary bottom line more than its “ideas.” It also needs to be considered that the Chick-Fil-A management has not changed views, just their business model.

Current CEO Dan Cathy described same-sex marriage legalization as “inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and we say we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.”