Target removing some Pride merchandise amid boycott threats

May 24, 2023

Mahmoud Bennett Reporter/Producer

By Mahmoud Bennett (Reporter/Producer)

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

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.

It’s terribly disappointing that @target is caving in to threats of violence from anti-LGBTQ bigots by removing Pride Month displays. If these extremists decide to attack displays celebrating Black History Month next, will Target remove those as well?pic.twitter.com/TU7UK4DhLL
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) May 24, 2023

Meanwhile some conservatives are escalating their opposition, calling to further boycott Target.

The goal is to make “pride” toxic for brands. If they decide to shove this garbage in our face, they should know that they’ll pay a price. It won’t be worth whatever they think they’ll gain. First Bud Light and now Target. Our campaign is making progress. Let’s keep it going.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 24, 2023

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.”

Tags: Bud Light, LGBTQ, Target, Transgender

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

TARGET IS REMOVING SOME LGBTQ THEMED MERCHANDISE FROM ITS STORES AFTER CUSTOMERS THREATENED TO BOYCOTT THE COMPANY FOR MARKETING THE PRODUCTS TO CHILDREN

THIS IS A STORY GETTING COVERAGE FROM THE LEFT THE RIGHT, AND THE CENTER- AS YOU CAN SEE ON OUR MEDIA MISS TOOL

BUT IT COMES JUST WEEKS AFTER LEFT LEANING OUTLETS UNDER REPORTED A SEPARATE CONTROVERSY INVOLVING BUD LIGHT AND ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH A SELF IDENTIFIED TRANS INFLUENCER THAT SAW THE COMPANY’S VALUE DROP.. WE ARE CHOOSING TO COVER THIS STORY ABOUT TARGET SO YOU CAN GET COVERAGE ON THE STORIES THAT ONE SIDE MAY NEGLECT…

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE ITEMS.. TARGET OFFERS MORE THAN 2,000 PRIDE THEMED PRODUCTS – INCLUDING flags, GENDER QUEER MUGS AND CHILDRENS BOOKS TITLED BYE BYE BINARY – IN RECENT VIDEOS POSTED ONLINE, CUSTOMERS POINTED OUT CLOTHING SEEMINGLY AIMED AT PEOPLE WHO MAY WANT THEIR BODY TO MIMIC THE OPPOSITE SEX

[VIDEO THROWING DOWN PRIDE SIGN IN TARGET]

viedo: “WE HAVE GLAD YOU CAME OUT. I’M SO HAPPY THAT YOU’RE QUEER – IN THE KID’S SECTION. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?”

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

AP FACT CHECKERS NOTE HOWEVER THAT AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE CLOTHING PRODUCTS IS MARKETED AT ADULTS AND *NOT CHILDREN*…

STILL, FOLLOWING REPORTEDLY VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONS – TARGET SAID QUOTE SINCE INTRODUCING THIS YEAR’S COLLECTION, WE’VE EXPERIENCED THREATS IMPACTING OUR TEAM MEMBERS’ SENSE OF SAFETY AND WELLBEING… “GIVEN THESE VOLATILE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE’RE MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR PLAN INCLUDING REMOVING ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONFRONTATIONAL BEHAVIOR”

SOME ON THE LEFT ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT TARGET BOWING TO THE BACKLASH

WHOOPI: “I AM SICK OF PEOPLE MOVING MY DESIRES BECAUSE THEIR DESIRES ARE NOT BEING MET IN SOME WAY.. THIS IS AMERICA YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO BE WHOEVER YOU ARE”

MAHMOUD BENNETT:

CONSERVATIVES HOWEVER ARE UPPING THE ANTI: QUOTE IF THEY DECIDE TO SHOVE THIS GARBAGE IN OUR FACE, THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY’LL PAY A PRICE… FIRST BUD LIGHT, NOW TARGET, SAID CONSERVATIVE TALK SHOW HOST MATT WALSH

DESPITE THE RECENT EVENTS TARGET SAYS THEIR FOCUS IS ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY