Conservatives have set their sights on Chick-fil-A as their latest target for boycotts, continuing their trend of seeking to boycott companies they perceive as having opposing values.
The fast food chain, which faced a left-wing boycott years ago due to their donations to groups opposing same-sex marriage and homophobic statements made by their CEO, is now facing backlash from conservatives for hiring Erick McReynolds, its vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), even though he's been in his position since November 2021.
The conservative outrage highlights their opposition to the concept of DEI and reflects a broader attack on diversity efforts within the corporate world.
Washington Examiner writer and self-proclaimed political strategist Joey Mannarino drew a connection between Chick-fil-A's diversity hiring and transgender individuals, sparking controversy.
Mannarino even conducted a Twitter poll asking his followers whether they should boycott Chick-fil-A.
\u201cOk, y\u2019all so what is the consensus\u2026 are we boycotting Chick-Fil-A over this or no?\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
Results were close between yes and no.
After wondering whether conservatives might have to boycott the company, he added the following "
"It's only a matter of time until they start putting tyranny semen in the frosted lemonade at this point."
You can see his posts below.
\u201cIt\u2019s only a matter of time until they start putting tranny semen in the frosted lemonade at this point. https://t.co/x85C5fubZZ\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
Some liberals and leftists on Twitter, aware of the poll, encouraged others to vote "yes" due to past grievances against the company for their previous stance on same-sex marriage.
The funniest part, however, was the number of conservatives who've lashed out at the company and accused it of going "woke."
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Boycott them! That's what we do in cancel culture!\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Sadly, yes. I love CFA and this will end my support, no more money for DIE.\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS YES I don\u2019t even eat there easy boycott lol\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Stick it to them the same as all the other DEI, woke companies.\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
Those on the left couldn't help but laugh at the latest example of manufactured outrage from conservatives.
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Just invite everybody to a campfire and you guys can form a circle and take turns crying about it\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Actually, the LGBTQ community has been boycotting them for years. So please do.\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Backward goofballs versus christofascist backward goofballs. Pass the popcorn chicken.\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
\u201c@JoeyMannarinoUS Such a sad little man.\u201d— Joey Mannarino (@Joey Mannarino) 1685411725
The concept of promoting diversity and fairness within companies has been around for some time.
But the establishment of specific DEI departments and the use of the acronym gained momentum after Donald Trump's election in 2016.
The murder of George Floyd in 2020 further propelled the DEI movement. However, conservatives have launched attacks against the DEI movement, claiming it to be a tool of the devil and denouncing its effectiveness.
Some experts also criticize the movement for being used as a symbolic gesture by companies without making substantial, tangible changes to address racial and social justice issues.
While conservatives have been actively boycotting companies, including massive beer conglomerates, Ford, Target, and Hershey, in recent months, criticisms have arisen regarding the effectiveness of these efforts.
