Target Dumps its Pride Collection in Many Stores
Associated Press in an emailed statement.“Most importantly, we want to create a welcoming and supportive environment for our LGBTQIA+ team members, which reflects our culture of care for the over 400,000 people who work at Target.”Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson blasted Target for caving to right-wing influencers and anti-LGBTQ groups.“Pride merchandise means something.
LGBTQ+ people are in every zip code in this country, and we aren’t going anywhere,” Robinson said in a statement.“With LGBTQ+ people making up 30% of Gen Z, companies need to understand that community members and allies want businesses that express full-hearted support for the community.
That includes visible displays of allyship.“Target’s decision is disappointing and alienates LGBTQ+ individuals and allies at the risk of not only their bottom line but also their values.”Last year, Target was besieged by boycotts by right-wingers enraged by the company’s decision to offer Pride-themed merchandise for children, as well as merchandise like chest binders and “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for adults, which they falsely claimed were being marketed to children.Several high-profile conservative influencers encouraged their followers to boycott Target for embracing Pride season and, especially, transgender customers, asserting that people’s gender cannot differ from their assigned sex at birth.Customers began posting videos to social media of themselves tipping over Pride-themed displays or confronting store staff over Pride-themed offerings.
Other right-wingers called in bomb threats to Target stores.In an effort to protect store staff and avoid further backlash, the company removed some Pride merchandise from the shelves or refused to sell Pride-themed items to customers.In some Southern locations, store staff moved Pride displays to the back of stores in an attempt to conceal them.The company’s attempt to do damage control following the calls for a boycott also sparked a backlash from those.
