Guido Barilla says pasta maker will never show gay families in ads

Is Barilla pasta taking a page out of the Chick Fil-A anti-gay playbook? The Italian pasta company is receiving heat after its chairman said Wednesday in a radio interview that the company would “never use homosexual couples� in its advertisements.

Guido Barilla, chairman of the Barilla pasta company, went on the Italian radio show “La Zanzara� and proclaimed, “I would never do an advert with a homosexual family.... If the gays don’t’ like it they can go and eat another brand,� reported The Independent UK.

He went on to say, “For us the concept of the sacred family remains one of the fundamental values of the company.� And he didn’t stop before moving on to gay adoption. “I have no respect for adoption by gay families because this concerns a person who is not able to choose,� said Barilla.

Barilla’s remarks sparked an outcry from gay rights groups in Italy and America, including Equality Italia, who has launched a full boycott of every Barilla product. Aureilo Mancuso, chairman of Equality Italia, released a statement on the website, which included the Twitter hash tag boicottabarilla.

Barilla issued a statement on the company Facebook page with an apology and a defense of his comments.

“I apologize 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.�

But the apology came too little, too late for some. The hashtag took off on Twitter Thursday morning with hundreds of tweets that read “BASTA BARILLA� (STOP, BARILLA) and images of different kinds of pasta together with the words “No matter if you like farfalle or maccheorni, just love.�

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