Chick-Fil-A President Goes Public With Anti-Gay Marriage Stance

Chick-fil-A seems to be making a point of trying to upset gay Americans.

Its president, Dan Cathy, said this week that his company was "guilty as charged" in response to a question about whether it opposed the concept of same-sex marriage—a forthright admission that surprised even those who have pointed out the fast food chain's financial ties to groups fighting equal rights for gays and lesbians.

"We are very much supportive of the family—the biblical definition of the family unit," Cathy told the Baptist Press. "We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

In the past, Chick-fil-A has given millions to WinShape, a group that donates regularly to anti-gay organizations like Focus on the Family, a fact that has drawn increasing scrutiny from pro-LGBT rights consumers of late.

In response to Cathy's remarks, the Human Rights Campaign issued a statement condemning the company. "While they may have been in neutral, kicking this fight into overdrive now allows fair-minded consumers to make up their own minds whether they want to support an openly discriminatory company," HRC said in a statement (via the AP). "As the country moves toward inclusion, Chick-fil-A has staked out a decidedly stuck-in-the-past mentality."

The new developments from the company also prompted at least one celebrity, Ed Helms, known for his work on "The Office," to announce a boycott of the chain, ABC News reports. "Chick-fil-A doesn’t like gay people? So lame. Hate to think what they do to the gay chickens! Lost a loyal fan," Helms tweeted Wednesday.