Nothing Has Changed at Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A has changed? Think again.

After Chick-fil-A posted an internal memo last week, saying it would treat gay customers “with honor, dignity and respect,” things got weird – really, really weird. Facebook and Twitter both blew up with the news, and many LGBT foodies were thrilled with the revelation. A few G Philly followers even posted about how they were excited to eat at the fast food chain again.

But not so fast.

Just as many folks who oppose LGBT rights also slammed Chick-fil-A, accusing management of abandoning their “Christian” beliefs. “You caved,” said one man on the chain’s Facebook page after rumors circulated that anti-gay Chick-fil-A was changing its ways. Many other comments followed suit, reminding CEO Dan Cathy and other leaders that Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day racked up record sales thanks to customers who showed up to buy food this summer in opposition of gay rights. Mike Huckabee, a Fox News commentator and failed GOP presidential candidate, created the event to show support for the chain. As such, he also heard from Chick-fil-A management about this latest flurry of questions over the weekend.

“There continues to be erroneous implications in the media that Chick-fil-A changed our practices and priorities in order to obtain permission for a new restaurant in Chicago. That is incorrect,” Cathy wrote on Huckabee’s website. “Chick-fil-A made no such concessions, and we remain true to who we are and who we have been.”

In other words – nothing has changed at Chick-fil-A. They still oppose LGBT rights. They’re still donating money to organizations that also oppose LGBT rights and believe in reparative therapy, or “praying the gay away.”

Still have doubts? The chain also issued this statement: “A part of our corporate commitment is to be responsible stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. Because of this commitment, Chick-fil-A’s giving heritage is focused on programs that educate youth, strengthen families and enrich marriages and support communities. We will continue to focus our giving in those areas.”

Gay rights groups like HRC have warned that any truth behind Chick-fil-A changing its policies is anything but, and that the concessions (or wording on its website) is mostly just fluff and that the corporation is still committed to turning back civil rights.

Cathy even tweeted a photo of himself from the “Ride for Family,” sponsored by the charitable arm of the fast food chain known as WinShape. It should be noted that WinShape has given millions to anti-gay organizations and is at the heart of the controversy over banning same-sex couples from marriage events. The foundation has donated millions in recent years to groups that are classified as hate groups – and the recent event’s fundraising effort was no different – the money went directly to Marriage and Family Foundation which opposes same-sex marriage and other crucial LGBT rights issues.