Catholic Fordham University won’t be hosting Chick-fil-A at its New York City campus after caving to opposition led by gay activists The College Fix reports.
But according to the university’s newspaper, the Fordham Observer, it’s not just the LGBTQ lobby who fear the arrival of the fast-food chicken restaurant. Everyone from the Commuter Studens Association to the United Student Government is in lock-step with the campus’ Rainbow Alliance to keep chicken microaggressions away from Fordham.
None of the dissenting groups provided any comment to The College Fix.
Despite the rejection of the “anti-gay” restaurant, the Rainbow Alliance is not satisfied. The group’s co-president, Roberta Munoz, told the Observer that it’s all very well for the university to reject Chick-fil-A but that doesn’t mean Fordham is sufficiently progressive in its attitude towards LGBTQ students.
“This is something that I don’t want to congratulate Fordham for, like ‘Oh my god, I’m so glad that you can see this. You’re such a good person,'” she said. “I don’t want to pat them on the back. You can’t say ‘Oh you’re such a great ally’ when there’s still so many issues with our queer students. Like great, love it, but keep going.”
The popular fast-food outlet has been dogged by homophobia allegations ever since the evangelical Christian owners were found to donate money to traditional marriage supporters during the same-sex marriage debate. Despite the best efforts of leftist groups and politicians to organize boycotts of Chick-fil-A, the restaurant remains resoundingly successful — even in New York City.
Chick-fil-A even offered to work with the Rainbow Alliance at Fordham to alleviate any concerns the students might have about invading their safe space, but the company’s overture was rejected, according to the Observer.
The restaurant has run into similar animosity from LGBT students at other academic institutions. Students at Catholic Duquesne University recently said they “feared” the arrival of a Chick-fil-A at their food court.
But opposition among students is not unanimous.
Ann Murphy, who graduated in 2015 from Fordham’s Bronx Rose Hill campus expressed another opinion to The College Fix, saying she was “disappointed” that the chain would not be opening at her alma mater.
“I’m very troubled by trends at colleges across America, where conservative views are silenced and shut down in both direct and indirect ways. I fear that these culture war boycotts are particularly polarizing,” Murphy said, noting as “a Jesuit school, Fordham should seek to challenge students to engage with, consider, respect, and be tolerant of all beliefs—especially those rooted in religious reasons.”
Ironically, Fordham University can use all the culinary assistance it can get as it regularly receives low marks from college food rankings and the dining room has failed state health inspections.
