Target announced it will remove some of its LGBTQ-themed merchandise from its stores after facing customer backlash and threats of boycott. The move comes just weeks after a viral campaign to boycott Bud Light due to its collaboration with a self-identified transgender influencer.
Target offers more than 2,000 products, including clothing, books, music and home furnishings as part of its Pride Collection, Reuters reported. The items include “gender fluid” mugs, “queer all year” calendars and books for children aged 2-8 titled “Bye Bye, Binary,” “Pride 1, 2, 3” and “I’m not a girl.”
Target has been celebrating Pride Month, which occurs in June, for more than a decade. Recently however, social media users expressed outrage about clothing items in the store seemingly targeted towards individuals seeking to present themselves as the opposite sex.
In a viral tweet, one user attached a picture claiming Target was selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits for children. Another video showed a woman claiming she had found a swimsuit in the children’s section that was advertised as having a “light binding effect.”
AP fact checkers have verified that at least one of those clothing products is marketed specifically to adults and not children.
In response to reported incidents of violence, Target issued a statement.
“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work,” the Minneapolis-based retailer said. “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.”
Pro-LGBTQ advocates expressed dissatisfaction online with Target’s decision to give in to the backlash.
Meanwhile some conservatives are escalating their opposition, calling to further boycott Target.
Target said in a statement Wednesday, May 24, “our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year.”
