Chick-fil-A has become the victim of the latest ‘go woke, go broke’ boycott controversy following an administrative move. The popular chicken sandwich chain is known for its long-standing conservative reputation. Boycott calls came from netizens following Chick-fil-A’s appointment of Erick McReynolds as the vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Following the announcement, conservatives took to Twitter to protest the move.
The announcement has ignited a backlash on social media especially among the far-right wing. They have accused the company of “going woke” as they seem to have embraced the growth of DEI initiatives in corporate America. The boycott trend stems from other controversies, such as Bud Light and Target’s pro-LGBTQ+ initiatives which backfired. Their marketing campaigns reportedly resulted in massive losses worth billions of dollars.
Exploring the Chick-fil-A boycott controversy
For the uninitiated, Chick-fil-A has a loyal customer base that is mostly filled with conservatives and people on the right end of the political spectrum. It’s almost inevitable that a seemingly ‘left-wing move’ like the DEI VP announcement would result in controversy.
How could you @ChickfilA?!?!
Meme by : @drefanzor https://t.co/6l7KyXEM39
— MAGS (@TAftermath2020) May 31, 2023
Erick McReynolds became the vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2021 but the news gained traction only now thanks to the political climate. In the past, Chick-fil-A has even directly opposed same-sex marriage, which polarized its customers.
https://twitter.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1663363451387822081?s=20
Right-wing commentator, Joey Mannarino questioned Chick-fil-A’s shift towards DEI and ignited the boycott discussion. On his Twitter poll, over 47% of respondents voted in favor of a boycott. This indicates the dissatisfaction coming from the company’s customer base.
Chick-fil-A’s response to the boycott threats
The decision to appoint a Vice President of DEI shows how even conservative companies like Chick-fil-A have chosen to embrace the new age. In response to the backlash, the company highlighted its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion on its website.
Chick-fil-A emphasized that it makes employment decisions based on a non-discriminatory basis. The end goal is that they maintain work environments free from any form of harassment.
The chicken sandwich chain stated that its core value is ‘being better together’, combining unique backgrounds and experiences. In turn, this would strengthen the quality of care provided to customers, communities, and the world.
The changing political stance of the chicken sandwich chain
In 2019, Chick-fil-A cut off donations to groups that opposed same-sex marriage. This was the first sign that they wanted to grow their appeal beyond their traditional conservative base.
The appointment of McReynolds as vice president of DEI is another step in the same direction. Despite the boycott controversy, Chick-fil-A seeks to embrace diversity and inclusion initiatives in an effort to remain relevant.
If you are White and don't boycott Chick-fil-A, you're an idiot. This is a public attack on White people. It's worse than Disney, Bud Lite or Target. https://t.co/2ejadQ0QYt
— The Sentinel (@sentinelpatrol) May 30, 2023
Founded in 1967, Chick-fil-A closes every Sunday which reflects its core Christian values. The restaurant operates across almost 3000 locations in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. It’s a family chain now run by the founder’s grandson Andrew Cathy who took over from his father in 2021.
https://twitter.com/Emberflux/status/1663567271149666304?s=20
It will be interesting to observe how the company will balance its core values with the evolving demands of its customer base. Will Chick-fil-A become the next big victim of the ‘go woke, go broke’ boycott trend?
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