Target photo by Mike Mozart from Flickr.
Target announced May 24 that after backlash and threats made to their employees, they will be pulling some Pride month items from stores.
According to their press release, they will be “removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior,” but declined to specify which items they were removing. In some southern stores, Target is relocating certain Pride items to the back of their stores.
Dr. David J. Johns, executive director, of the National Black Justice Coalition, the nation’s leading Black LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, expressed disappointment in the company’s decisions, saying that they are caving into extremism and betraying the LGBTQ+ community.
“Let’s be clear: removing items from its Pride Collection or hiding them in the back of the store – is tantamount to insisting we all go back in the closet,” Johns said. “At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and people are under attack, at a time when extremist political forces want to exterminate us, pushing our diverse history, experiences, and ways of being into the shadows – we need everyone to speak out for us – including major corporations like Target, and Budweiser.”
Target’s Pride collection has been available in stores since early May, ahead of Pride month’s celebration throughout the month of June. The company has been releasing Pride collections in support of the LGBTQ+ community to their shoppers for more than a decade.
“But you can’t have it both ways. You can’t only support human rights where you are “safe” from confrontation. Shame on Target,” Johns said.
President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Kelley Robinson, said that at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are being attacked, it’s more important than ever for businesses to stand up to extremist groups and bullies.
“Businesses that are silent or are retreating at a time when anti-LGBTQ+ hatred, from statehouses to social media platforms, is at an all time high are abdicating their responsibility to stand by their values of diversity, equity and inclusion,” Robinson said. “We’ve seen it again and again: businesses that stand up for the values they espouse send a powerful message to their employees, shareholders and customers that equality is not up for debate. Every time businesses stand up and speak out for LGBTQ+ equality, they come out on top, regardless of baseless, anti-business attacks.”
There are over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have gone before state legislatures throughout the country in the past year, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, with Florida passing bills in only the past few weeks.
Florida Representative Anna V. Eskamani has been vocal about her opposition to the state’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and posted on social media about Target employees being threatened because of the Pride collection.
“What on Earth is wrong with people? If you don’t like Pride merchandise, don’t buy it! Move on,” Eskamani said.
