LGBT+: Target removes merchandise after customer reaction – 05/24/2023 – Market

US retailer Target, which launched its Pride Collection in early May, is pulling some products from its stores after backlash from customers saying the move is to protect employee safety.

Target Corp offers more than 2,000 products including clothing, books, music and home furnishings as part of the LGBTQIA+ “Pride Collection”. Items include “gender fluid” mugs, “queer year-round” calendars and books for ages 2-8 titled “Bye Bye, Binary”, “Pride 1,2,3” and “I’m not a girl”. .

“Since the launch of this year’s collection, we have faced threats that affect our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while on the job,” Target said in a statement.

“Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that were at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior,” the retailer said.

Target has been celebrating “Pride Month” for over a decade. But this year’s collection led to an escalation of clashes between customers and employees and incidents with Pride merchandise being thrown to the ground, said Target spokeswoman Kayla Castaneda.

Target’s move comes on the heels of a conservative backlash against Bud Light after brewer Anheuser-Busch promoted the beverage on social media last month with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

While several Pride Collection products are under review, the only ones being removed right now are LGBTQIA+ brand Abprallen, which has come under fire for its association with British designer Erik Carnell.

Carnell was banned on social media for creating products featuring images of pentagrams, horned skulls and other satanic-themed products.

Target is also reviewing certain transgender swimwear and children’s merchandise, Castaneda said, but no decision on those products has yet been made.