Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Ald. Moreno to block Chick-fil-A in Logan Square
by Kate Sosin, Windy City Times
2012-07-25

This article shared 3479 times since Wed Jul 25, 2012
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


Ald. Proco Joe Moreno has vowed to oppose the opening of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in his ward, after the company's Chief Operating Officer said he was "guilty as charged" of opposing gay rights.

Moreno joined a chorus of critics against the fast-food chain as the fallout over Chick-fil-A COO Dan Cathy's comments continued for a second week.

Cathy told Christian news publication the Baptist Press that his goal is to operate the fast-food chain "on Biblical principles" and that he opposed same-sex marriage.

The comments have set off a firestorm of bad press against the fast-food chain and irked elected officials throughout the country.

Moreno had been talks with the fast-food chain for nine months, but will deny the company a permit in Logan Square because of Cathy's "bigoted, homophobic comments" and concerns about traffic in the area, he told the Chicago Tribune.

Moreno has Mayor Emanuel's blessing. Emanuel affirmed his support for same-sex marriage to the Chicago Sun-Times and said that Cathy's comments are out of synch with Chicago values.

"Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago values," Emanuel told the Times. "They're not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you're gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values."

Moreno has been a vocal supporter of LGBT issues in his first term as alderman. This Spring, he introduced a city ordinance that aims to create a policy within the Chicago Police Department for interacting with transgender detainees.

In a July 26 email to ward residents, Moreno said that Chick-fil-A representatives had previously assured him they didn't support anti-gay causes.

"Last week, the comments from the CEO of the company made it clear that they were lying to my face in every one of those meetings," Moreno said.

"I'm a staunch believer in equality," he continued. "I will not support a business that discriminates against a minority population. I believe the majority of 1st Warders agree with this opinion. I'm tired of self-professed 'liberals,' who have no backbone and are all talk. Denying Chick-fil-A is taking a stand for what is right."

The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), which worked with Moreno on the transgender ordinance, praised Moreno and Emanuel's stance against the chain in a statement.

"Diversity has made this city great, and we have some of the strongest protections for LGBT folks in Illinois," said Anthony Martinez, executive director of TCRA. "The statements made by Dan Cathy show that this restaurant has no place in Chicago. We will continue to work to ensure that Chick-Fil-A is not welcome in this city until they see the value of acceptance and diversity, and they make that clear in their company policies."

Students at the University of Illinois have also launched a petition to evict Chick-fil-A from the Illini Union student center. U of I is among seven schools to launch change.org petitions demanding that the chain be removed from campus.

"We are not arguing against the Christian community, we are only saying that any organization, regardless of its heritage, that actively supports discrimination has no right being housed and supported as a part of a diverse university community," the petition reads.

Equality Illinois has also launched a "Flick-the-hate" petition against Chick-fil-A, that asks Illinois businesses owners, including those leasing space to the chain, to cut ties.

The company has been a sore spot for some Chicago LGBT activists since it opened a restaurant downtown last summer, after contributing millions to anti-gay organizations. But until recently, the company had denied that it was anti-gay.

Still, the fallout over Cathy's comments may be complicated for some Chicagoans, most notably the owner of Chicago's only Chick-fil-A restaurant.

Owner Lauren Silich released a statement that says her business is an independently owned and operated franchise and that her family has deep Chicago roots.

"We hold fundraisers for hospitals, school, fallen police and we donated to a wide variety of causes, including everything from churches to gay and lesbian organizations," Silich said.

Silich did not specify what LGBT groups the restaurant donated to.

[NOTE: Also see Windy City Times coverage, Chick-fil-A officer: The company is anti-gay, at www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Chick-fil-A-officer-The-company-is-anti-gay/38777.html .]


This article shared 3479 times since Wed Jul 25, 2012
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

City Lit Executive Artistic Director Brian Pastor talks theater, comics, queerness
2024-03-26
City Lit Theater has announced its programming for the 2024-25 season—which will be the company's 44th. It will also be the first season to be programmed under the leadership of Brian Pastor (they/them), who will assume ...


Gay News

Brown Elephant Returns To Northalsted
2024-03-26
Brown Elephant's Lake View location is moving to Northalsted and already accepting donations. Howard Brown Health, the largest LGBTQ+ health center in the midwest, operates three Brown Elephant resale shops in the Chicagoland area to help ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted's signature Human First Gala to return
2024-03-11
--From a press release - CHICAGO, IL — Center on Halsted's signature Human First Gala will be held on Saturday, April 20 at The Geraghty. The gala brings together LGBTQ+ community members and allies for an evening of celebration to recognize ...


Gay News

Coalition of LGBTQ+ advocates, health care providers release Project RAINBOW report
2024-02-12
--From a press release - SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A coalition of more than two dozen LGBTQ+ advocate organizations and health care providers are releasing a new report aimed at addressing the challenges and discrimination that ...


Gay News

SAVOR At Willies 'n Waffles, sexuality is on the menu
2024-02-12
Having written about Chicago's culinary scene for at least 15 years, this writer has covered all sorts of spots—from Michelin-starred upscale establishments to those so-called "holes in the wall" that can serve some of the best ...


Gay News

Chicagoans indulge in a World of Chocolate
2024-02-11
AIDS Foundation of Chicago hosted its 2024 World of Chocolate celebration the evening of Feb. 9 at Union Station. Top chocolatiers from across the city allowed guests to sample numerous confections, hors d'oevres and libations for ...


Gay News

TAWANI Foundation commits $25K to StartOut, supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship
2024-02-08
--From a press release - CHICAGO — February 8, 2024 — The TAWANI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights ...


Gay News

The Jeff Awards announces the 50th-anniversary non-Equity theater nominations
2024-02-06
--From a press release - (Feb. 6, 2024 - Chicago) — Celebrating its 50th anniversary awarding recognition for Non-Equity theater, the Joseph Jefferson Awards announces its nominations for theater excellence among Non-Equity theater during the ...


Gay News

Comcast NBCUniversal partners with News is Out, Word In Black on fellowship program highlighting Black, LGBTQ+ issues
2024-02-06
--From a press release - Digital Equity Local Voices Lab Fellows to be placed at 16 local publications to receive training and create content Philadelphia (Feb. 6, 2024) — News is Out [ https://newsisout.com ] , a queer media collaborative of ...


Gay News

Mr. Chicago Leather contest returns to Touche following 2022 controversy
2024-02-01
The Mr. Chicago Leather contest returned this past weekend, January 26-28, to Touché Chicago, over a year after numerous community members were incensed by a racist incident. But the bartender who quit Touché following the incident ...


Gay News

Looking back at Chicago LGBTQ+ community's stand against Anheuser-Busch
2024-01-30
As conservatives across the country boycotted Anheuser-Busch products for Bud Light's partnership with trans woman Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, LGBTQ+ bars in Chicago removed their products for a different reason. Following the deeply negative response to ...


Gay News

Chicago firefighter receives over $500,000 settlement in City discrimination lawsuit
2024-01-20
James Mundo, a Chicago firefighter who identifies as a gay man, settled a discrimination lawsuit against the City of Chicago for $515,000 last month. Mundo sued the city alleging it failed to take adequate measures to ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Women's college, banned books, military initiative, Oregon
2023-12-29
After backlash regarding a decision to update its anti-discrimination policy and open enrollment to some transgender applicants, a Catholic women's college in Indiana will return to its previous admission policy, per The National Catholic Reporter. In ...


Gay News

WORLD Toronto businesses, French law, Thai bills, fight in Jamaica, Jonathan Bailey
2023-12-22
Some Toronto LGBTQ+ business owners say they are worried that they're being shut out of a provincial grant program because their businesses sometimes include sexual products or services, which are banned in the program's eligibility rules, ...


Gay News

SAVOR Cody's dog drive, 'Dandy Holiday' and Santa
2023-11-27
New addition: Firewood BBQ, 1856 W. North Ave., has launched its newest weekend brunch item—the brisket pierogi Benedict. For a limited time only, Chef Art Wnorowski and wife/business partner Gosia Pieniazek are presenting this Benedict that ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.