Feminist actress Alyssa Milano responded Monday to news that fast-food restaurant Wendy’s would be bringing back its crowd-pleasing spicy chicken nuggets by accusing the company of “refusing to protect farmworker women from sexual assault & rape in the fields.”
Grammy-winning musician Chance the Rapper campaigned for the return of spicy chicken nuggets to Wendy’s menu in a Sunday tweet. Wendy’s pledged to make the dreams of fast-food lovers everywhere come true if a tweet the company made in reply to Chance received more than 2 million likes.
Y’all keep asking, so here’s your chance.
The people in charge say if you guys can get our tweet (this one right here) to 2 Million likes, they will bring SPICY CHICKEN NUGGETS BACK.
Let’s freakin’ do this! https://t.co/qrtvWXjj9V— Wendy’s (@Wendys) May 4, 2019
By Monday, the goal was achieved, and people of all stripes, creeds and ideological orientations celebrated. Social media users were able to cast aside their differences and rejoice in mutual appreciation for spicy chicken.
For one brief moment, it seemed like everyone in America was happy. Everyone, that is, except for Milano.
The progressive activist shattered the harmonious reverie in devastating fashion – by calling for a boycott. Tagging Chance the Rapper, Milano excoriated Wendy’s for the purported violence its food does to women.
“did you know Wendy’s is the only fast food chain refusing to protect farmworker women from sexual assault & rape in the fields? Message for the people in charge: Instead of spicy nuggets, we want food that is harvested w/ dignity NOT violence. #BoycottWendys,” she wrote in a tweet.
Wendy’s spicy chicken nuggets yummy! pic.twitter.com/xDZ3PL8txZ
— Hanapepe (@Hanapepe15) May 6, 2019
Nor did the “Charmed” actress stop there. In a followup tweet, she linked to a 2018 ThinkProgress article detailing Wendy’s’ refusal to join the Fair Food Program (FFP), a “partnership between farm workers, Florida tomato growers, and participating retail buyers to enforce fair wages, worker safety, and other basic protections for farm workers through a three-pronged model.”
Milano’s comments weren’t nearly as popular as the demand for Wendy’s spicy nuggets. A wave of commenters roasted the actress for her activist efforts. “Sorry @chancetherapper you are not allowed to like @Wendys spicy chicken nuggets @Alyssa_Milano said so,” quipped one commenter. “let the guy eat his chicken nuggets in peace,” wrote another. “You pick some of the strangest fights. Just chill,” said yet another.
In the fields?????? What century are you talking about?
— AJ Benza❌ (@RealAJBenza) May 6, 2019
Wendy’s has defended its decision to refrain from joining the FFP by saying the program passes extra costs, which go into the pockets of workers, directly onto customers.
Via Pluralist
