In response to an online petition with more than 100,000 signatures, Apple recently pulled an app by Exodus International, a group that preaches “freedom from homosexuality.”
“We removed the Exodus International app from the App Store because it violates our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people,” Tom Neumayr, an Apple spokesperson, said March 23.
Truth Wins Out, an organization that seeks to counter the so-called ex-gay movement, started the effort against the Exodus app by launching a petition at Change.org. At press time, the petition had 157,130 signatures.
“I’ve never been turned down for a role because I’m gay. I’m a character actor, and that’s probably why. I don’t find Hollywood, in my own experience, to be homophobic. … But I do think the straight folks will continue to play the straight roles.”
— Actress Jane Lynch, who currently plays cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on “Glee,” explaining that studios still want straight actors in straight romantic leads (AfterElton.com, Jan. 12)
“How nice that [Chick-fil-A COO Dan] Cathy’s parents are celebrating their 63rd year of marriage. Know any gay couples celebrating their 63rd year of marriage? Nope. And you won’t until 2067 at the earliest (63 years after Massachusetts first legalized same-sex marriage in 2004). And that’s because many of Chick-fil-A’s friends work hard day in and day out to ban same-sex couples from getting married.”
— Change.org editor Michael Jones, responding to a video posted by Dan Cathy to defend the Chick-fil-A chain from controversy over its donations to groups working against gay marriage (Change.org, Jan. 12)
1946
Year that Truett Cathy opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Ga. He would go on to found the Chick-fil-A national restaurant chain.
1,500
Current number of Chick-fil-A restaurants, which span 38 states, including 189 in Georgia.
$3.2 billion
Annual sales for Chick-fil-A, according to the company.
23,000+
People who have signed a Change.org petition urging Chick-fil-A to stop supporting the Pennsylvania Family Institute, which is trying to ban gay marriage in the state, and other anti-gay groups.
63
Years that Truett Cathy and his wife have been married, according to a video from his son, attempting to defray pro-gay criticism of the chain.
Georgia Equality weighed in on the Chick-fil-A donation controversy this afternoon by posting a link to a petition hosted on advocacy website Change.org calling for the fast food chain to cease donations to anti-gay groups, including Focus on the Family.
The fast food chain has been accused of donating to other groups, such as the Pennsylvania Family Institute, an organization that attacks the “homosexual lifestyle.”
Georgia Equality wrote on its Facebook page:
“Change.org continues to pressure Chick-fil-A. You can sign their petition using this link.”