Pasta is a parent’s lifesaver. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and even the pickiest kids usually like some version of it. I was disheartened, then, to learn that Guido Barilla, the chair of Barilla Pasta — my go-to brand — told a radio interviewer Wednesday that, “I absolutely don’t respect adoptions in gay families, because that concerns a person who is not the people who decide.” Guess what? We LGBT parents, like most parents, buy lots of pasta for our families. I daresay it won’t be Barilla now.
HuffPo has a translation of more from the interview:
For us, the ‘sacral family’ remains one of the company’s core values. Our family is a traditional family. If gays like our pasta and our advertisings, they will eat our pasta; if they don’t like that, they will eat someone else’s pasta. You can’t always please everyone not to displease anyone. I would not do a commercial with a homosexual family, not for lack of respect toward homosexuals — who have the right to do whatever they want without disturbing others — but because I don’t agree with them, and I think we want to talk to traditional families. The women are crucial in this.
Barilla later apologized on the company Facebook page:
Regarding my comments at the radio program La Zanzara, I apology if my words generated misunderstandings or controversy or if they hurt some people’s feelings. In the interview I just wanted to underline the centrality of the woman’s role in the family. To be clear, I just want to specify that I do have great respect of every person, without any kind of distinction. I do respect gay people and everybody’s freedom of expression. I also said I do respect gay marriage. Barilla in its advertising has always chosen to represent the family because this is the symbol of hospitality and affection for everyone.
As I understand this, however, it seems he’s against gay dads, but would presumably be fine with us lesbian moms, since by definition we keep the “women’s role” central in the family. Yeah, right. I’m still not buying it, out of solidarity with gay men and with everyone who in one way or another bends traditional gender roles.
Famiglie Arcobaleno, or “Rainbow Families,” the organization for gay parents in Italy, sent out an e-mail saying they, too, are urging a boycott of Barilla products. Below is a loose translation, followed by the original:
Mr. Barilla will be glad to know that the Rainbow Families of Italy, those who are fighting every day to acquire more dignity and more protections, will never buy any more of your products. Therefore closely follow his invitation to “eat the pasta for another brand.”
We are many and also increasingly well organized. Our outrage has already arrived at Rainbow Families of Europe, and will soon come in the U.S. and Canada. We have invited millions of gay people, singles or couples, with or without children to boycott your products. We have extended an invitation to our friends, relatives and supporters. Not just another eat pasta but we will avoid the brands Mulino Bianco, Pavesi, Voiello, Wasa, Harris etc. (For a complete list: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barilla ).
What can I say? We believe that all human beings are made ​​of the same stuff, but he evidently not!
Gentile signor Barilla, sarà lieto di sapere che le Famiglie Arcobaleno d’Italia, quelle che si battono ogni giorno per acquisire più dignità e più tutele, non compreranno mai più nessuno dei vostri prodotti. Seguiremo perciò attentamente il suo invito a “mangiare la pasta di un’altra marca”.
Non la infastidiremo più, stia tranquillo. Siamo tanti e anche sempre meglio organizzati. Il nostro sdegno è già arrivato alle Famiglie arcobaleno d’Europa, e giungerà presto negli USA e in Canada. Abbiamo invitato milioni di persone omosessuali, single o in coppia, con o senza figli a boicottare i vostri prodotti. Abbiamo esteso l’invito ai nostri amici, parenti, sostenitori. Non solo mangeremo un’altra pasta ma eviteremo anche i marchi Mulino Bianco, Pavesi, Voiello, Wasa, Harris ecc. (pr un elenco completo: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barilla ).
I think I’ll skip pasta entirely tonight and go make a patriarchy-defying sandwich.