Muslim groups in Indonesia, Malaysia call for boycott of Starbucks, Apple over LGBT rights
Mon. July 10, 2017 4:33 PM by OnTopMag.com
Two Muslim groups in Indonesia and Malaysia have announced a boycott of three American companies over their support of LGBT rights.
Together the groups, Malaysia's Perkasa and Indonesia's Muhammadiyah, represent nearly 30.5 million Muslims.
Perkasa has called on the Malaysian government to revoke the trading licenses of Starbucks, Microsoft and Apple because of their support for LGBT rights and same-sex marriage.
Anwar Abbas of Muhammadiyah told Reuters that Starbucks's support for the LGBT community was "not in line" with Indonesian values.
"If Starbucks only does business, then fine. But don't bring ideology here," Abbas said.
Starbucks responded in a statement, saying that it is a "global company" that strives "to be respectful of local customs and traditions while staying true to Starbucks' long-standing values and purpose."
A "Dump Starbucks" campaign was launched in 2012 in the United States by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), an outspoken opponent of marriage equality. In promoting its boycott, NOM claimed that Starbucks had "declared a culture war on all people of faith who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving." As the boycott fizzled in the United States, organizers took their message abroad, running online ad campaigns in the Middle East, Indonesia and China.
(Related: Lady Gaga's gay anthem "Born this Way" labeled offensive in Malaysia.)
Together the groups, Malaysia's Perkasa and Indonesia's Muhammadiyah, represent nearly 30.5 million Muslims.
Perkasa has called on the Malaysian government to revoke the trading licenses of Starbucks, Microsoft and Apple because of their support for LGBT rights and same-sex marriage.
Anwar Abbas of Muhammadiyah told Reuters that Starbucks's support for the LGBT community was "not in line" with Indonesian values.
"If Starbucks only does business, then fine. But don't bring ideology here," Abbas said.
Starbucks responded in a statement, saying that it is a "global company" that strives "to be respectful of local customs and traditions while staying true to Starbucks' long-standing values and purpose."
A "Dump Starbucks" campaign was launched in 2012 in the United States by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), an outspoken opponent of marriage equality. In promoting its boycott, NOM claimed that Starbucks had "declared a culture war on all people of faith who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving." As the boycott fizzled in the United States, organizers took their message abroad, running online ad campaigns in the Middle East, Indonesia and China.
(Related: Lady Gaga's gay anthem "Born this Way" labeled offensive in Malaysia.)
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