Conservative Christian groups, including the anti-LGBTQ+ organisation Family Research Council (FRC), are up in arms after a Chick-fil-A franchise in Orem, Utah publicly congratulated a same-sex couple on their wedding.
The controversy began with a 3 December Facebook post from the local franchise celebrating two men, Dougie and Toby, who recently tied the knot.
“CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HAPPY COUPLE! Dougie & Toby recently got married and we are so beyond happy for them!” the post read, accompanied by a photo of the smiling couple outside the restaurant.
While the restaurant limited comments on the post, most responses have been supportive of the couple. But not everyone shared the joy.
Family Research Council accuses Chick-fil-A of “wokeness”
Instead of celebrating the moment, the Family Research Council condemned the post in a 4 December article on its Washington Stand site, accusing Chick-fil-A of “waffling on wokeness” and “condoning a message” that goes against the “biblical values” the chain was once known for.
“While most of Chick-fil-A’s chains are run by local operators, the fact that any location felt comfortable posting such a controversial message is further proof that the company hasn’t weeded out the LGBT extremism that sparked so much backlash just a couple of years ago,” the FRC article stated.
“Chick-fil-A built a business model based almost entirely on faith. And frankly, that means they should be held to a higher standard.”
Some conservative Christians attempted to pressure Chick-fil-A’s corporate arm into publicly denouncing the franchisee, but the company has stood firm.
“Chick-fil-A embraces all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity,” the company reportedly said in response to complaints.
The company added it is “embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) in everything we do.”
FRC’s David Closson criticised this stance, arguing it contradicted Christian teachings:
“To embrace contested identities — such as transgender identities or identities rooted in same-sex behaviour — as morally legitimate expressions is something altogether different. A company grounded in Christian conviction should be able to love and serve every person without endorsing categories that contradict biblical truth.”
Backlash from the far right
The reaction from conservative commentators was swift. Steve Soukup of the Political Forum blog argued Chick-fil-A had failed to resist “left-wing political trends”, contrasting it with other Christian-owned businesses like Hobby Lobby.
“Chick-fil-A’s insensitivity to the current of cultural rebalancing represents the mirror image of that resistance,” he said.
Stefan Padfield, from the Free Enterprise Project, said:
“Chick-fil-A is free to embrace DEI — and we are free to eat elsewhere.”
A complicated history with LGBTQ+ issues
The backlash is steeped in Chick-fil-A’s controversial past. In 2011, it was revealed that the chain had donated to anti-LGBTQ+ groups such as Family Research Council and Exodus International, a group promoting conversion therapy. At the time, CEO Dan Cathy said the company was “guilty as charged” regarding accusations of homophobia.
Although the company has made attempts to move away from such practices — particularly in recent years as it eyes international expansion — critics on the right now accuse the brand of having gone too far.
Last year, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee accused the company of surrendering to “anti-Christian hate groups”, while Texas Senator Ted Cruz said Chick-fil-A had “badly lost its way” due to its DEI policies.
Despite these claims, Chick-fil-A has continued to clarify that it serves and employs people from all backgrounds.
