Target lgbtq response
Human Rights Campaign Calls on Target to Upright Firm in Support for LGBTQ+ Community; Reject Threats from Conservative Extremists
by Jared Todd •
WASHINGTON — Amid extremist anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and attacks on businesses that stand by standards of diversity and inclusion, retail giant Target is the latest center of attack for extremist groups. In response, it’s been reported that Target is pulling some of its Pride merchandise from its sales floors across the country.
President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Kelley Robinson released the following statement:
Target should not be responding so easily to criticism and threats from the likes of the Proud Boys. Target should put the products back on the shelves and ensure their Pride displays are noticeable on the floors, not pushed into the proverbial closet. That’s what the bullies want. Target must be better.
Extremist groups and individuals work to split us and ultimately don’t just want rainbow products to disappear, they need us to disappear. For the past decade, the LGBTQ+ community has famous Pride with Target—it’s day that Target stands with us and doubles-down on their commitment to us.
Going into P
The Daily Scoop: The Homosexual response to Target’s Identity festival actions
A week before Celebration month started, Target took some of their LGBTQ+ apparel off the shelves in response to threats from people who opposed the items displayed. Target’s behavior left a bitter style in the mouths of some who liked the collection but felt cast aside by the store’s overall response.
Now, Target has seen tumbling stock prices, falling five times more than Bud Light’s did in the wake of a similar controversy, Newsweek reported.
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The context
The Associated Press reported that activists want to sway corporate higher-ups not to be pressured into switching Pride and other Gay friendly activations due to conservative backlash.
Target was not alone in facing the heat over Pride Month items.
Kohl’s faced backlash after featuring Pride merchandise for children and babies, Yahoo Experience reported.
This opposition comes at a critical time for progress at the national level to prohibit discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.
Almost 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were put before state legislatures since the beginning of 2023, many of them ta
Target is once again in hot liquid over its handling of its Homosexual merchandise.
The company announced Thursday that it will only provide its Pride Month collection online and in select stores. The move comes after Target faced criticism and calls for boycotts from conservatives last year over its associated merchandise during Identity festival celebrations and into the holiday season.
According to a utterance, the brick-and-mortar Goal stores that will be selected to carry LGBTQ+ merchandise—including adult apparel, place goods, foods and beverages—will be decided "based on historical sales performance." It also plans to spotlight LGBTQ-owned brands during Pride Month both in stores and online.
The announcement has sparked renewed backlash for the retailer, with many people accusing Victim of giving in to pressure from the conservative-led boycotts. As Newsweek previously reported, Target's split price took momentary dips in May and June 2023 after the calls for boycotts began, but ended the year with a 7.46 percent multiply on its divide price.
"Cool. So we're just giving into hate now, @Target?" Senta Moses, an American actress, posted to X (formerly Twitter), adding, "This
Target facing backlash from LGBT groups after scaling down DEI practices
Target’s judgment to scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs is being met with backlash from the Diverse community on the Minneapolis-headquartered retailer’s home turf.
Target announced Friday that it will put into action some changes to its “Belonging at the Bullseye” strategy, including ending its three-year DEI goals and ending its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives in 2025, as planned.
Then over the weekend, organizers of the Twin Cities Pride Festival — of which Target has been a longtime sponsor — said the retailer is no longer welcome.
Andi Otto, Twin Cities Celebration executive director, told MPR News that he made the decision to boot Target from any involvement in this year’s festivities due to their rolling back their DEI initiatives.
“In the current climate that we are having to live in as a community, I made the decision that it would not be in the best interest of our community to have Target’s presence at Pride or the parade this year,” Otto told the outlet.
Twin Cities Pride also announced on social
Target faces criticism from artists involved with Pride month products over response to boycott: ‘Quick to fold’
Kennedy Davenport, a drag queen, rejoiced when she learned last year that she would be featured on apparel in the forthcoming Pride collection at Target.
"You never dream opportunities like this," Davenport told ABC News, comparing the breakthrough to her previous role competing on the TV show "RuPaul's Kingly Race."
For Davenport, elation turned to disappointment last month when Target announced it would remove some Pride products from stores in response to anti-LGBTQ harassment faced by employees, she said. Davenport says she does not know whether products with her image were removed.
"The bigwigs at Victim should continue to take a withstand with us and not be so quick to fold," Davenport said, calling on the organization to return the full Pride collection to their shelves. "I would adore for Target to put on their boxing gloves and fight."
Davenport is among five artists and organizations tied to this year's Self-acceptance collection at Aim who criticized the company's response to the backlash in interviews with ABC N