Headline Roundup • May 24th, 2023
Target Pulls Some LGBTQ-themed Merchandise From Stores
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Tuesday, Target announced that it would be removing certain LGBTQ-themed merchandise from stores ahead of Pride Month following customer backlash.
The Details: Target offers more than 2,000 products as part of its Pride Collection, including music, clothing, books, and home furnishings. The collection this year has reportedly led to increased confrontations between customers and employees, with video showing customers vandalizing Pride-themed displays and criticizing attire seemingly marketed toward transgender children.
Key Quote: “Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” Target said in a statement Tuesday. "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."
How the Media Covered it: The removal of some items in Target's Pride Collection was covered by sources across the political spectrum, with some business-focused sources highlighting how Target's shares have plummeted 6% this month. Sources on all sides covered the situation in the context of Bud Light's recent marketing controversy with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Featured Coverage of this Story
REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Target, which rolled out its Pride Collection at the start of May, is pulling some products from its stores after facing customer backlash, saying it was acting to protect employee safety, the company told Reuters on Tuesday.
Target Corp (TGT.N) is offering more than 2,000 products, including clothing, books, music and home furnishings as part of its Pride Collection. 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."
"Since introducing this year's collection, we've...
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Target is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide ahead of Pride month, after an intense backlash from some customers including violent confrontations with its workers.
“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” Target said in a statement Tuesday. ”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.”
Target declined to say...
Target shareholders are feeling the backlash underway at the retailer as controversy swirls over its Pride merchandising plans, first reported by Fox News Digital.
Shares slipped further Wednesday and have dropped over 6% this month, with half of that drop taking place this week alone. Over the same time frame the S&P 500 is down fractionally.
"For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month. Since introducing this year’s collection, we've experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at...
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