Chick-fil-A's decision to stop donating to organizations that support traditional marriage will not be enough to satisfy the demands of LGBT activists.
The leading gay-rights group GLAAD said in a statement that it wants the popular fast-food chain to ensure a "safe" workplace for LGBT employees and to forthrightly denounce the company's "anti-LGBT reputation."
"If Chick-Fil-A is serious about their pledge to stop holding hands with divisive anti-LGBTQ activists, then further transparency is needed regarding their deep ties to organizations like Focus on the Family, which exist purely to harm LGBTQ people and families," GLAAD said in a statement.
GLAAD was responding to the announcement Monday by Chick-fil-A that it will stop donating to the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and other organizations accused of being "anti-LGBT" because they support traditional marriage.
"Chick-Fil-A investors, employees, and customers can greet today’s announcement with cautious optimism, but should remember that similar press statements were previously proven to be empty, the GLAAD statement said.
Then came the further demand.
"In addition to refraining from financially supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations, Chick-Fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQ employees and should unequivocally speak out against the anti-LGBTQ reputation that their brand represents," the statement concluded.
The gay-rights Human Rights Campaign sounded similar note, saying that "while this is an important step for Chick-fil-A, the company still does not have workplace protections and policies that are fully inclusive of LGBTQ people."
"We look forward to the day when Chick-fil-A's commitment to welcoming all is reflected in their workplace policies and practices by including explicit sexual orientation and gender identity nondiscrimination protections," HRC said.
Salvation Army 'saddened'
Meanwhile, the Salvation Army said it was "saddened" by the decision, arguing it serves more than 23 million individuals a year and is "the largest provider of poverty relief to the LGBTQ+ population."
"When misinformation is perpetuated without fact, our ability to serve those in need, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or any other factor, is at risk," the Salvation Army said. "We urge the public to seek the truth before rushing to ill-informed judgment."
LifeSiteNews has posted an online petition urging Chick-fil-A to reverse course, contending the company "has made a business decision that many Christians see as caving in to the demands of LGBT activists."
Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Tim Tassopoulos discussed the new policy in an interview with Bisnow published Monday.
"There's no question we know that, as we go into new markets, we need to be clear about who we are," he said. "There are lots of articles and newscasts about Chick-fil-A, and we thought we needed to be clear about our message."
Bisnow said the new initiative will no longer include donating to organizations such as the Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Paul Anderson Youth Home.
In a news release, Chick-fil-A said that beginning in 2020, it is "introducing a more focused giving approach to provide additional clarity and impact with the causes it supports."
"Staying true to its mission of nourishing the potential in every child, the Chick-fil-A Foundation will deepen its giving to a smaller number of organizations working exclusively in the areas of education, homelessness and hunger."
The controversy was triggered by a June 2012 interview in which Chick-fil-A Chief Operating Officer Dan T. Cathy expressed opposition to same-sex marriage.
"I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,'" Cathy said. "I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about."
Then came reports of the donations by the company's foundation to organizations deemed "anti-LGBT" by activists.
But sales soared 12 percent, to $4.6 billion, in 2012. And this year Chick-fil-A became the third largest restaurant chain in America, after McDonald's and Starbucks.