Chick-fil-A’s anti-gay donation status remains unclear

A Twitter pic by Chick-fil-A’s president is casting doubts on the company’s promise to stop giving money to anti-gay organizations.

According to The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), the initial change of course was the result of negotiations between Chick-fil-A and Alderman “Proco Joe” Moreno over Moreno’s efforts to block the fast food company from opening a restaurant in a Chicago neighborhood, based on Chick-fil-A’s anti-gay stance. On Sept. 19, TCRA released a letter to Moreno, signed by Chick-fil-A's Senior Director of Real Estate, which stated:

“The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas.â┚¬Â

According to TCRA, WinShape is a non-profit funded by Chick-fil-A which has donated millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations including National Organization for Marriage and Focus on the Family.

However, later that same day, Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy tweeted a photo from 2012 WinShape Ride for the Family, a fundraiser for Marriage and Family Foundation, which helps lobby against marriage equality.

According to Equality Matters, a new media and communications initiative in support of gay equality, WinShape donated more than $1 million to Marriage and Family Foundation in 2012 alone.

On the Human Rights Campaign website, HRC  Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz weighed in:

â┚¬Å”Chick-fil-A can't claim to be turning over a new leaf while simultaneously funneling thousands of dollars towards a group that does not acknowledge the dignity and respect of LGBT peopleâ┚¬Â¦.This issue is not â┚¬â€œ nor has it ever been about â┚¬â€œ whether a particular organization supports marriage equality. It is about the fact that Dan Cathy's personal views are leading to corporate dollars being used to prop up groups that demonize and spread malicious falsehoods about LGBT people. Americans can agree upon the values that make our country great â┚¬â€œ fairness, respect, and dignity for all. There are a number of organizations that work to promote these types of values. Unfortunately, Chick-fil-A is continuing to support organizations that do not reflect mainstream American values.â┚¬Â

Chick-fil-A has remained quiet on where the company actually, currently stands when it comes to it’s donations fighting marriage equality.