What is DEI? Chick Fil A woke agenda boycott controversy explained

American fast-food chain Chick Fil A is the latest brand to face the wrath of right-wing activists for "going woke" after its diversity, equity, and inclusion policy (DEI) went viral over the internet. Moreover, it was pointed out that the company had hired an executive to be in charge of such policies.

The controversy to boycott the brand was sparked on May 30, 2023, when political strategist Joey Mannarino took to his Twitter handle to share the misinformation that Chick Fil A has recently hired Erick McReynolds as the Vice President of the brand's diversity, equity, and inclusion policy (DEI).

Hours later, he shared a poll asking his followers if they should boycott the conservative sandwich brand for hiring a DEI executive. The poll suggested that while 46.6 percent of people agreed with boycotting the brand, 53.4 percent of users disagreed.

Chick Fil A has joined the bandwagon of brands like Bud Light, Target, Kohls, the Los Angeles Dodgers, etc. to face backlash from right-wingers for their inclusivity efforts and bringing forward the underrepresented sections of the society.

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How will DEI help Chick Fil A?

For decades, corporate companies have implemented policies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, or religion. In recent times, there has been a growing trend of consolidating policies under the acronym DEI.

With Chick Fil A appointing an executive overlooking the DEI policy of the company, it could mean that the conservative eatery could hire people from the LGBTQ community as well. This comes as a surprise since the brand is well-known for its conservative religious views, which includes being closed on every Sunday, and donating funds to anti-LGBTQ+ organizations.

According to a report by ThinkProgress in 2019, which analyzed 2017 tax filings, the Chick fil A Foundation was found to have contributed $1.8 million to organizations that have been accused of discriminating against the LGBTQ community, such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

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Has Chick Fil A gone woke?

Chick Fil A came under social media fire after Joey Mannarino shared a message from the company's DEI page on its official website that read that one of the core values of the company is that "we are better together."

“One of our core values at Chick-fil-A, Inc. is that we are better together. When we combine our unique backgrounds and experiences with a culture of belonging, we can discover new ways to strengthen the quality of care we deliver: to customers, to the communities we serve and to the world."

The statement continued:

"We understand that getting Better at Together means we learn better, care better, grow better and serve better. Chick-fil-A, Inc.’s commitment to being Better at Together means embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in everything we do."

Several people criticized the company's words, with the executive director of Center for Renewing America, Wade Miller writing that he cannot support the brand anymore because of "it’s commitment to systemic racism, sexism, and discrimination."

By sharing a screenshot of Chick Fil A's message of its website, Right-wing critic Ian Miles Cheong wrote that the brand has "gone woke."

Calling it "literally wokeness," Cheong slammed the company for following a trend that is "destroying every industry and institution."

The other thing that still remains unclear is why the brand is drawing criticism now for its DEI policy since it has long been in place. Moreover, Erick McReynolds has been the VP for DEI since November 2021, as per his LinkedIn profile.

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Chick Fil A has had a past for supporting anti-LGBTQ stance

Previously, the company's CEO, Dan Cathy, made public remarks opposing same-sex marriage, prompting boycotts and rallies against the restaurant chain. The brand's remarks and actions generated considerable response from the LGBTQ+ community and its supporters.

Cathy stated his support for the "biblical definition of the family unit" rather than same-sex marriage, stunning liberals but igniting a surge of Republican support.

The corporation announced in 2019 that it would no longer donate to organizations perceived to hold anti-LGBTQ+ views. They stated that they would concentrate their philanthropic efforts on education, homelessness, and famine initiatives.