Chick-fil-A is being slammed by the LGBTQ activists after a report highlighted that the company has ties to a group fighting the Equality Act and other legislation designed to protect LGBTQ rights. However, the reality of this connection to the group seems to be more complicated.
According to the Daily Beast report, the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF) has bankrolled opposition to The Equality Act, which would expand civil protections for the LGBTQ community. NCF is the sixth-largest charity in the US and it donates to thousands of people and organizations. Among those groups, many are fighting legislation to protect LGBTQ rights, including the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom and the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation. Both strongly oppose the Equality Act and have supported attempts to ban transgender athletes from sports.
The watchdog organization Citizens for Ethics tweet sparked an online backlash, the tweet read, “FYI: the billionaire owner of Chick-fil-A, which promised to stop donating to anti-LGBT causes last year, is participating in a dark money operation fighting to keep the Equality Act from passing.” Although Chick-fil-A declined to comment on the backlash, the chain has faced serious criticism over past donations.
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Before 2012, Chick-fil-A made a significant amount of donations to socially conservative and Christian organizations, which opposed LGBTQ rights through its WinShape Foundation. For example, in 2010 the chain donated 247,000 to the NCF. After facing backlashes the chain pledged to stop its controversial donations in response to Cathy saying that he did not support same-sex marriage in 2012.
In the following years, some activists continued to criticize the company for its Foundation%u2019s works with certain groups and community, especially the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. When Chick-fil-A stores opened in the UK, it met with protests because of the company%u2019s ties to groups like NCF.
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In November 2019, Chick-fil-A announced that it would cease all donations to the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes instead, it will be supporting charities tied to three specific initiatives %u201CHomelessness, Hunger, and Education.%u201D
Chick-fil-A is facing backlash for its CEO%u2019s donations, the chain follows the common practice of the restaurant industry and does not donate to politicians. The fast-food chains such as McDonald%u2019s, Wendy%u2019s and taco bell, KFC donate thousands of dollars to Congressional candidates and political parties leading up to the 20202 elections. These PACS tend to donate more money to Republican candidates than the Democrats, as the vast majority of Republicans in the House voted against the Equality Act.
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Whereas another restaurant industry donates to both sides of the aisle, most PACs and executives did not donate to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump in the presidential race.
