Chick-fil-A Protest Draws Attention to Fast Food Chain’s Bigotry and Intolerance
Santa Ana, CA, July 28, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Gay & Lesbian Center of Orange County (The Center OC) today led a protest of Chick-fil-A at the grand opening of its newest location in Laguna Hills. The protest comes in response to Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy, who told the Baptist Press that the company is “guilty as charged” of opposing marriage equality, while it donates millions of dollars to organizations whose goals include “curing” people of being gay.
Instigated by Youth Empowered to Act (YETA), The Center OC’s youth activist arm, the action drew more than 60 protestors, whose aim was to educate the broader community about Chick-fil-A’s charitable contributions to organizations that see lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as less than equal, whole and deserving human beings.
According to The Center OC’s executive director, Kevin O’Grady, the issue at hand is not Chick-fil-A’s right to free speech or religious freedom, nor is it about Dan Cathy voicing his private opinion about gay people.
“Chick-fil-A has spent millions to support harmful, discredited ‘therapies’ that are still being inflicted on gay people,” O’Grady said. “The public has a right to know that if they patronize this fast-food chain, their money goes to support these barbaric practices.”
“If Chick-fil-A truly supports family values, then they should take a stand against parents who kick their lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender children out of the house,” said Laura Kanter, director of youth programs at The Center OC. “Every day at our organization we see young people who have been harmed in the name of traditional family values. Chick-fil-A has shown us that it is out of alignment with the values of fairness, tolerance and respect.”
YETA is a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth leaders between the ages of 14-24, who focus on social change through leadership development, community organizing, advocacy and activism.
For more information, visit www.thecenteroc.org.
Instigated by Youth Empowered to Act (YETA), The Center OC’s youth activist arm, the action drew more than 60 protestors, whose aim was to educate the broader community about Chick-fil-A’s charitable contributions to organizations that see lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as less than equal, whole and deserving human beings.
According to The Center OC’s executive director, Kevin O’Grady, the issue at hand is not Chick-fil-A’s right to free speech or religious freedom, nor is it about Dan Cathy voicing his private opinion about gay people.
“Chick-fil-A has spent millions to support harmful, discredited ‘therapies’ that are still being inflicted on gay people,” O’Grady said. “The public has a right to know that if they patronize this fast-food chain, their money goes to support these barbaric practices.”
“If Chick-fil-A truly supports family values, then they should take a stand against parents who kick their lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender children out of the house,” said Laura Kanter, director of youth programs at The Center OC. “Every day at our organization we see young people who have been harmed in the name of traditional family values. Chick-fil-A has shown us that it is out of alignment with the values of fairness, tolerance and respect.”
YETA is a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth leaders between the ages of 14-24, who focus on social change through leadership development, community organizing, advocacy and activism.
For more information, visit www.thecenteroc.org.
Contact
Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center of Orange County
Kevin O'Grady
562-618-0853
thecenteroc.org
Kevin O'Grady
562-618-0853
thecenteroc.org
Contact
Categories