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Barilla pasta faces boycott after chairman’s ‘homophobic’ comments

By C. J. Refsland on September 26, 2013 • ( 3 )

My comment: I think I just found an exclusive brand of Pasta for me. Anyone else?

Mr Barilla told Italian radio Radio 24: ‘Our concept is not that of a gay family.

Worldwide fury: Mr Barilla provoked further anger when he added that if gay people did not approve of his views ‘they could eat another brand of pasta’

‘For us, the concept of the nuclear family is a fundamental value of the company.’

When the interviewer pointed out that gay people also eat pasta he said: ‘Okay, if they like our pasta and our branding let them eat it, otherwise they can choose another pasta.

‘You can’t always please everyone. ‘

Mr Barilla also remarked that he was against gay adoption although he did support gay marriage.

The comments followed the launch of an initiative by Parliament Speaker, Laura Boldrini, on the role of women in advertising, in particular the prevalence of mothers serving the family at the table.

Aurelio Mancuso, from the campaign group Equality of Italy, called the remarks ‘an offensive provocation ‘ and demanded an immediate boycott of Barilla products.

As a wave of Italian MPs threatened to resign in support of Silvio Berlusconi, openly gay parliamentarian Alessandro Zan said: ‘I adhere to the boycott of Barilla and I urge other MPs, at least those who do not resign, to do the same ‘

The comments caused a storm on the web with Twitter #boicottabarilla (boycott Barilla) trending.

Mr Barilla later apologised saying he had ‘maximum respect’ for gays.