The company announced on May 9 that its Pride Month apparel will be available online and only in “select stores, based on historical sales performance.” This marks a shift from prior years, during which LGBTQ merchandise was available at all stores. Last spring, the company was forced to alter its marketing after facing national outrage over Pride-themed merchandise, which included clothes and books for children. Target also sold “tuck friendly” swimsuits that allow transgender people to conceal their genitalia. After introducing last year’s collection, the company “experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work,” a spokesperson said at the time. “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 spokesperson said. The company, which operates around 2,000 stores, moved Pride displays from entrances of some stores around the U.S. and placed them in the back. As stated in the announcement, Pride Month-themed products, including adult apparel, home, food and beverage, will be curated based on customer feedback. A Target spokesperson declined to disclose the number of stores no longer carrying LGBTQ merchandise but said consumers will have access to the entire collection online. “Target is committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month and year-round,” Target said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press (AP). “Most importantly, we want to create a welcoming and supportive environment for our LGBTQIA+ team members, which reflects our culture of care for the over 400,000 people who work at Target.” The head of the Human Rights Campaign, a U.S. LGBTQ advocacy group, told the AP that Target’s decision was disappointing and risks alienating LGBTQ+ individuals. “Pride merchandise means something,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said. “LGBTQ+ people are in every zip code in this country, and we aren’t going anywhere.”Target says it is cutting LGBTQ merchandise at some stores this spring after the mega-retailer suffered fierce backlash and sales losses last year over its marketing push for transgender-themed items.
