Target is cutting back on its LGBT Pride month collection following the consumer backlash to last summer’s assortment that sent its sales tumbling.
The retailer will only be selling its LGBT merchandise in select stores after some locations faced boycotts for selling LGBT Pride items, including transgender-oriented bathing suits and children’s items designed by a brand that also sells Satanist-inspired merchandise.
“We’re offering a collection of products including adult apparel and home and food and beverage items, curated based on consumer feedback. The collection will be available on Target.com and in select stores, based on historical sales performance,” Target said in a fact sheet.
Target will be holding internal LGBT Pride events and joining Pride events in Minneapolis, the site of its corporate headquarters. The company will also be donating to left-wing LGBT activist organizations. National Review has reached out to Target comment.
LGBT Pride celebrations typically occur in June.
Last summer, Target’s stock nosedived and the company lost billions in market value after conservatives called for a boycott of the retail chain because of its Pride merchandise, especially a “tuck-friendly” swimsuit meant to obscure male genitalia.
The retailer also faced pushback for its collaboration with Abprallen, a London-based clothing-design company that openly embraces Satanism and sells merchandise celebrating violence against supposed “transphobes.” Target knew of the brand’s Satantic perspective when it entered into the partnership, Abprallen’s designer said on Instagram.
Last summer, some customers confronted Target employees about the LGBT merchandise and knocked down displays.
“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work. 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 said last year when it moved the LGBT-themed items to the back of certain stores.
The push to boycott Target happened after conservatives began boycotting Bud Light because of an advertisement featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, a biological male who identifies as a woman.
In the first quarter of 2024, Bud Light sales continued to lag because of the boycott.
Bud Light has tried to reestablish its brand appeal among conservatives by partnering with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and various celebrities, including Kid Rock. Former president Donald Trump said earlier this year Bud Light deserved another chance and called for the extended boycott to end.