The Eck’s Factor: What to do about the chicken sandwich that divided the US


(Julianna Pantoja | Daily Trojan)

Picture this: flames, riots and pitchforks. Utter chaos over a monopolized piece of political propaganda. A rival challenges a sovereign for the title of crispiest coat, toastiest bun and juiciest breast. 

That’s right, folks. I’m talking about chicken sandwiches. 

Chick-fil-A has garnered massive backlash over the past decade, stemming from its chief executive Don Cathy’s anti-LGBT remarks back in 2012 and the company’s then continual donations to Christian charities like Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes that campaign against same-sex marriage. This resulted in international boycotts and protests against their homophobic stances. 

Just recently, Chick-fil-A announced that it will no longer donate to these anti-LGBT organizations. While this discontinuation should be taken with a grain of salt, especially considering the company did not rule out donating to faith-based organizations in the future,  this seems to be a positive, progressive step for the company. It will instead allocate its funds to focus on homelessness, education and hunger. 

Upon the announcement of dropping the donations, conservative leaders cried betrayal, with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee denouncing Chick-fil-A as “surrendering to anti-Christian hate groups,” with others from the right labeling it as a “backstabbing.” 

This reaction from the right emblazons the twisted, extremist Christian values that glorify religious freedom as a means to be homophobic. While Chick-fil-A and several other companies have promoted a discriminatory agenda, protesting them tends to overlook where this homophobia came from in the first place and how it continues to tear our society apart. 

To name a recent example, conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh asserted that America will not elect former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a “gay guy kissing his husband on the debate stage,” as president. As Limbaugh carries considerable influence among conservative groups, these comments epitomize the blatant, direct homophobia that still occurs every day in this country. We could boycott Limbaugh like we boycotted Chick-fil-A, but his following would not waiver, and this acrimonious speech would persist. 

This just tells us that our fixation with Chick-fil-A ultimately acts as a deterrent from not only this homophobia but also the homophobia that goes over our heads every day. 

Homophobia does not only originate from religious ideology but also from the stigma around being an ally as a heterosexual man. Toxic masculinity commonly associates homosexuality with femininity and nonconformity to constructed standards of manliness. 

This is a similar problem with the modern feminist movement and the lack of meaningful straight, cis-male allyship. As with all issues of systemic oppression, there is a deficit of advocacy from the majority. Because fellas, is it gay to support basic human rights? 

Look at straight privilege too — we seldom hear of a straight couple being uncomfortable, nervous or even scared of holding hands in public. While this is not necessarily subject to discourse, the concept itself exemplifies heteronormativity and the challenges that LGBT-identifying individuals face every day. Simply protesting a company’s problematic past does not pacify this struggle. 

Not to mention the American Red Cross still requires men who have had sexual contact with other men to defer blood donation for 12 months, which is an improvement from the previous lifetime ban. Despite blood shortages, the American Red Cross still does not accept blood from gay and bisexual men without this stipulation. Protesting Chick-fil-A subverts discrimination like this for what — to politicize a chicken sandwich? Redirecting our attention to issues like this would work to diminish latent and biting homophobia and actually save lives. 

Yes, Cathy’s remarks perpetuate homophobia. Chick-fil-A donating to anti-LGBT organizations should not be condoned by any means. But if this is the way we choose to advocate for marginalized groups, we should at least reevaluate other companies that may not support the same political agenda we do. 

As a matter of fact, In-N-Out executives donate to the Republican Party and the Trump Administration. One of SoulCycle’s major investors held fundraisers for the Trump campaign. Without consistency in choosing the companies we support and giving proper attention to these other issues, boycotting Chick-fil-A is a misguided way of combating homophobia. 

At the end of the day, being an ally is of utmost importance. That being considered, we should also be mindful while speaking on behalf of a group like the LGBT community. Not every Christian is straight, and religion can be openly interpreted. We should be cautiously optimistic about Chick-fil-A and its shift away from anti-LGBT donations yet also refocus our efforts to these other forms of discrimination. 

In reality, a chicken sandwich is not dividing America — that’s on our behalf. 

Matthew Eck is a sophomore writing about culturally relevant social issues.  His column, “The Eck’s Factor,” runs every other Thursday.