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(Image source: Wikimedia Commons / Takeaway)
BY MATT PICHT
The Italian pasta company Barilla found itself in hot water Friday after its CEO made inflammatory
comments about LGBT couples.
During an Italian radio interview, Barilla CEO *** Barilla told the host the pasta
company would never feature gay couples in their advertisements, adding he prefers to
target "traditional" families. (Via The Guardian)
"When the show's host pointed out that gay and lesbian couples eat pasta, Barilla replied,
'If they like our pasta and our communication, they can eat them. Otherwise, they can eat
another pasta.'" (Via USA Today)
Internet protests over the CEO's inflammatory words quickly sprang up on social media as
the hashtag #boitcotta-barilla started trending. (Via Buzzfeed)
And gay rights advocates around the world quickly called for a boycott of the pasta
brand. (Via Los Angeles Times)
Competing pasta makers Buitoni and Bertolli jumped on the civil rights bandwagon, posting
pro-LGBT pasta pics to their Facebook pages. (Via MSNBC)
It's worth mentioning Bertolli has already featured a gay couple in this Italian ad which
originally aired in 2009. (Via Vimeo / Lauryn Siegel)
Mr. Barilla apologized for his remarks in a series of statements posted to the company's
website.
"Through my entire life, I have always respected every person I've met, including gays and
their families, without any distinction. I've never discriminated against anyone." (Via
Barilla)
But the damage was done. Barilla's apology rang false to many critics, who blasted the
pasta CEO for the perceived insincerity of his mea culpa. (Via The Atlantic, Salon)
But will this scandal actually impact Barilla? If history's any judge, the pasta company
may not have much to worry about.
The Week likens the Barilla controversy to the homophobic remarks made by fast food chain
Chick-fil-A's CEO Dan Cathy in 2012. "Almost immediately following Cathy's comments, Chick-fil-A's
popularity plummeted. ... However, Chick-fil-A's total 2012 sales ultimately showed the fast
food chain was unscathed, even though its popularity had, at least at some point, fallen."
And the Internet outrage has come full circle at Slate, where a writer is boycotting the
boycott and arguing against getting too worked up over a corporation's lack of public relations
skills.
"I simply resent being told I should change my shopping list every time some old C-suite
dude runs his out-of-touch mouth or offers to sponsor my next parade. ... Getting riled
up about the inane statements of a random businessman is really a kind of activism in
support of the corporation's increasing power in our society. And that's something I just
can't stomach."
Barilla hasn't said whether or not they plan to include gay couples in future ads, but
Take Part has already beaten them to the punch.
"Barilla! The pasta every gay man love to eat!"