It seems gay men and lesbians around the world have taken to social media to announce that they will indeed boycott the pasta brand after the president of Italy-based Barilla suggested that gay men and lesbians should "eat another pasta" if they are displeased that the company will not feature families with a same-sex couple in commercials.
Guido Barilla, president of Italy-based Barilla, one of the best known pasta brands around the world, reportedly said on an Italian radio program La Zanzara (The Mosquito) on Radio24, "For us the concept of the sacred family remains one of the basic values of the company."
"I would not do it but not out of a lack of respect for homosexuals who have the right to do what they want without bothering others… [but] I don't see things like they do and I think the family that we speak to is a classic family," reported The Guardian.
When asked what effect that view would have on gay consumers, he added, "Well, if they like our pasta and our message they will eat it; if they don't like it and they don't like what we say they will… eat another."
He went on to discuss gay rights, saying that he "respected everyone" and is in favour of gay marriage, but against gay adoption.
The company on Thursday issued a statement in Italian on the company Facebook page with an apology and a defense of his comments.
"I apologise if my words have led to misunderstandings or controversy, and have bumped the sensibilities of some people," wrote Barilla. "I have the utmost respect for homosexuals and for freedom of expression to anyone. I also said and repeat that I respect marriages between persons of the same sex. Barilla in its advertising has always chosen to represent the family because this is a symbol of welcome... for all."
As seen on Twitter.
Barilla US, the American division of the Italian company, also apologised via Facebook and Twitter late this afternoon for remarks by the company's chairman Guido Barilla, made on a radio program last night.
"At Barilla, we consider it our mission to treat our consumers and partners as our neighbors – with love and respect – and to deliver the very best products possible. We take this responsibility seriously and consider it a core part of who we are as a family-owned company. While we can’t undo recent remarks, we can apologise. To all of our friends, family, employees, and partners that we have hurt or offended, we are deeply sorry."
The pasta company's president's remarks ignited a firestorm on social media overnight and the protest became a trending topic on Twitter with the hashtag #boicottabarilla which means boycott Barilla. Gay rights groups in America and Italy have also slammed the remarks with gay rights group Equality Italia launching a full boycott of every Barilla product.
GLAAD, an advocacy group for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, says it plans to contact US supermarket chains and ask officials to speak out against Barilla's comments and in support of their own LGBT consumers. The group's vice president of communication Rich Ferraro added that it had also emailed the company an invitation to meet with LGBT community members "and get to know how traditional we really are."
Barilla, who with his brothers Luca and Paolo, represent the fourth generation running the family-owned firm founded in 1877. The company owns 13 brands which distributes its products in 100 countries under names that include Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Wasa, Vesta, Gran Cereale and others.
Italy is one of the few countries in Western Europe which does not recognise any form of same-sex partnership.
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It is not the first case of this type of thing and won't be the last.
The idiot committed brand suicide!
With the instantaneous global communications we have today, people who are in the public's eye, running companies, or governments should choose their words and actions carefully.
This intolerant attitude toward each other isn't something people can do, (for very long), and survive if they continue down the same path in this day and age.
I agree with jeh2112 in that he has committed brand suicide. Only time and/or if he really makes an amends that will satisfy the populous will the company recover from financial loss over the poor judgement he has made.
Never the less: Thought provoking.........
none classic is
see what dress he wear? classic? 1877 is not classic age
He did not wear classic watch
is fridae classic? there is no fridae when i was born.
he is going to kick out many products by terms " classic"
mean that product that born before 1877 should said that Barilla is not classic food.
When an individual does "not" take offense at an offensive comment, this does not always indicate that the offense is not valid.
Read the article again with the word "black" inserted - not offensive?
"I would never use a "black" family in our commercial, we are in favor of "white" families. If "black" people disagree, they can always eat pasta of other producers. "Black" people are free to do what they want if they don't bother "white" people."
You could also insert "Muslim", "Jew", "Women", "Elderly" etc.
Not offensive???
Really?
The problem I find with these so-called opinions is that not only:
1) is sexuality is not an opinion, but
2) simply being human and being so exactly as the rest in this planet is just exactly that;
3) that is, when it comes to the sexuality of an individual (and all that encompasses said sexuality) is not a matter of questioning - it seems like an "opinion/lifestyle/choice/phase/WANT/what-else-has-been-used-to-label-it" - THUS unconditional. Period.
4) In addition, even if it's about "opinions", we should never internalise other "opinions" simply because they belong to others, even within the same group of sexual commonality, cultural group, ethnicity, etc.... Marriage is marriage, and if one specific group of (specifically) 'believers' don't agree with it, it's because their own "beliefs" become so-called "affected" simply due to their own perspectives that they DO become affected (or 'can be' so), but in truth, it's ALL IN THEIR HEADS. Do choices of one person directly affect another person if it isn't even directly affecting it? NO. It's just illogical.
If you think your marriage (or what-have-you) is affected and your world will disappear simply because you THINK so, and yet your own (let's say) religion is still intact, then the only reason why your own belief (system) [not religion] may come crashing down is because you're/you've been thinking it.
In this world, most people seem to be broadly accepting of gay people - but with certain limits, such as being against gay adoption or marriage. That's just the way it is, yet things are changing. To me, he just sounds like a typical, traditional Italian - a country noted for its machismo and testosterone-fuelled identification of masculinity and 'manhood' (which explains that clown, Silvio Berlusconi, a *lot*); his views just seem part of that broad, sweeping generalisation. As such, I wouldn't rush to take offence just yet.
Besides - when was the last time you/we saw, say, Coca Cola, or Apple, featuring clearly-identified gay couples in their branding? Frankly, in business, the vast majority of companies - if not a near absolute figure - stick with the traditional, heterosexual target model. Fine. I'm more concerned about society at large, and political will, than businesses dragging their heels a little on catching up with equality...
In the interview, Barilla said he opposed adoption by gay parents, but was in favour of allowing gay marriage, which is not legal in Italy. His comment about advertising was in response to a direct question about whether he would ever feature a gay family in his company's commercials.
If gays "like our pasta and our advertising, they'll eat our pasta, if they don't like it then they will not eat it and they will eat another brand," he said.
Aurelio Mancuso, head of gay rights group Equality Italia, said Barilla's comments were an "offensive provocation" and called for a boycott of the company's pasta, sauces and snacks.
"We accept the invitation from the Barilla owner to not eat his pasta," Mancuso said. Many Italians used social media to voice support for a boycott.
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I see no reason why Mr Barilla should accept our lifestyle anymore than we accept his. He's entitled to his opinion and frankly in a country as traditional Italy, I'm not surprised he feels as he does. I don't feel that he said anything derogatory or offensive in his statement, he simply said he wouldn't use a gay family in advertising. So, what's the problem. Anyway, Barilla pasta is not that great.
INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA
"Among lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals, internalized sexual stigma (also called internalized homophobia) refers to the personal acceptance and endorsement of sexual stigma as part of the individual's value system and self-concept. It is the counterpart to sexual prejudice among heterosexuals (Herek, Gillis, & Cogan, 2009)."
The above comments endorsing or trivialising the offensiveness of the statement in the above article, clearly fit the pattern of "internalized homophobia".
For those who may be offended by being challenged about this - don't worry - you are in good company.
According to a study posted on revelandriot.com "Internalized Homophobia is something that virtually all gays have to confront (or have yet to confront) in their lives."
Your response to an article like the one above is a great opportunity to reveal a possible "blind spot" you may have - and consequently, come to a place of greater acceptance.
No..As a Public Spokesperson he needs to be more aware of the impact of his statements. Accepting ignorance does little to progress society.
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