Target says it will no longer sell its 2024 Pride Month collection in all of its stores following last year's conservative backlash over its LGBTQ+-themed merchandise.
The retail giant said in a press release last week that it plans to offer its collection of products to celebrate Pride Month including adult clothing and home decor during the month of June both online and in "select stores," depending on "historical sales performance."
In a statement to NPR, a spokesperson for the retailer says it is committed to supporting the LGBTQ+ community not only during Pride Month but year-round.
The retail giant says it will continue to offer benefits and resources for the community and its more than 400,000 employees, adding that the company will have a presence at local Pride events near its Minneapolis headquarters.
For years, Target has carried Pride-themed merchandise in its stores including clothes, cups, champagne, accessories and even pet costumes.
But last year, the retailer faced heavy criticism after it announced plans to remove some of its Pride Month merchandise from store shelves following a backlash against the products including threats to employees' safety.
"Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior," the retailer said in a previous statement addressing the backlash.
At the time, when asked which items were removed and whether security was being increased at its stores, Target not respond to NPR's inquiry.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement to NPR that Target's decision to limit its Pride Month merchandise this year is "disappointing," saying the move "alienates LGBTQ+ individuals and allies at the risk of not only their bottom line but also their values."
"Pride merchandise means something. LGBTQ+ people are in every zip code in this country, and we aren't going anywhere. 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."
News of Target's scaled-back efforts for Pride Month comes as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning on Friday that foreign terrorist organizations may potentially target LGBTQ+ events and venues during Pride Month in June.
The joint statement does not discuss any specific threats or intelligence suggesting that a specific event, celebration or individuals are subject to being targeted.
News of Target's scaled-back efforts for Pride Month comes as the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning on Friday that foreign terrorist organizations may potentially target LGBTQ+ events and venues during Pride Month in June.
The retail giant said in a press release last week that it plans to offer its collection of products to celebrate Pride Month including adult clothing and home decor during the month of June both online and in "select stores," depending on "historical sales performance."
The stuff isn't selling and apparently people* are threatening store staff. Not a hard choice.
The retail giant said in a press release last week that it plans to offer its collection of products to celebrate Pride Month including adult clothing and home decor during the month of June both online and in "select stores," depending on "historical sales performance."Seems fair enough.
On one hand, this sounds like corporate BS, but on the other hand, not selling items in places that know it won't sell, and (fuck 'em becasue they shouldn't want their business anyway, but I digress) know it will cause you to lose customers, does seem like a sound business decision.
It does kinda suck though that large companies that actually CAN make a difference choose not to just becasue the bottom line may get an insignificant dent in it.
Hell the South f***ing won the Civil War in the end.Let's not catastrophize, Reconstruction didn't go nearly far enough but they wouldn't be so butthurt about the "lost cause" if they won in the longterm.
I don't understand why people keep catering to these idiots when most people either support LGBTQ+ stuff being sold in stores or they just don't care.Because no one is threatening people to tell them how okay they are with gay merch. Also, I imagine this has a lot more to do with this stuff just not selling. It just happens to dovetail with the reactions from last year.
Don't leftists hate rainbow capitalism to begin with?
Don't leftists hate rainbow capitalism to begin with?its more complex than that
Mfs should focus on hiring more employees
I think even if the companies are making empty gestures the idea that society will respond positively to gestures of goodwill towards the lgbtq community is a good direction for society. Letting some whackadoos make them not make those gestures hurts the overall societal vibe imo; it sends the message that it's unsafe to express those opinions and I say fuck people who want me to think that.
The stuff isn't selling and apparently people are threatening store staff. Not a hard choice.
We also saw a significant increase in threats from right wing groups *after* it was pulled last year; giving extremists any reason to believe their techniques are working will only amplify their efforts.
I think even if the companies are making empty gestures the idea that society will respond positively to gestures of goodwill towards the lgbtq community is a good direction for society. Letting some whackadoos make them not make those gestures hurts the overall societal vibe imo; it sends the message that it's unsafe to express those opinions and I say fuck people who want me to think that.
Let's not catastrophize, Reconstruction didn't go nearly far enough but they wouldn't be so butthurt about the "lost cause" if they won in the longterm.
yes this.
that's the thing with pride: you dont have to go to a parade, it's still about just being seen.
and this year, like last year, im too scared to go to pride--don't feel like being shot.
They want you scared, my dude.
Take it from somebody who used to be part of that anti-woke, perpetually angry portion of the right wing, youre ultimately giving them what they want by letting them intimidate you to the point of giving in to their terrorist demands.
If theyre foolish enough to back up their threats with violence, then I hope the current president sends in the National Guard to begin cracking skulls since those scumbags have gotten away with far too much to the point where theyve gone completely mask off with regards to their bigotry.
this is why left wing people and minorities need to arm themselves.
so i can get shot by police like that FL airman? pass.
They did slavery went on when Reconstruction ended. Before that it was black codes convict leasing and then Jim Crow. Black people even in the modern eras had land stolen when they did too well.And yet things would be a whole lot worse today if they hadn't lost.
Cowards. Catering to the bigots just ends with everyone hating your company. Because the bigots aren't going to suddenly come back to Target over this and they'll quickly find something else to be mad at Target about. So this just alienates the LGBTQIA+ community in addition to the bigots