After Target’s announcement that Pride displays were moved to the back of some stores in the South and products removed, LGBTQ activists are calling for new campaigns in order to convince corporate leaders to not cave in to anti-LGBTQ organizations.
“We need to develop a strategy to deal with companies that are under enormous pressure to put LGBTQ people on the back burner,” said California State Senator Scott Wiener, D. San Francisco, a Member of the LGBTQ Legislative Caucus.
He said: “We must send a message to Corporate America that, if they are our allies — if they truly are our allies — then you should be our ally not only when things are easy but also during times of difficulty.”
The retailer claimed that its actions were taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its employees, after protesters knocked down Pride signs and confronted store workers. However, this controversy occurs at a time where conflict is brewing over LGBTQ rights.
Related Links
This year, nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ laws were introduced by state legislatures across the country. In at least 18 states, laws have been passed that restrict or ban gender-affirming treatment for transgender children.
Some groups have hired security consultants to give them advice on their plans for Pride Month which starts on Thursday.
Janson Wu is the executive director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders in Boston, a non-profit legal rights organization.
Debra Porta is the executive director of Pride Northwest in Portland, Oregon. She said that there had been discussions about boycotting Target, writing a letter to them, and taking other actions, but no plans have yet materialized for a protest.
Porta said that because the news was relatively new, there may be more actions announced, particularly as Pride Month approaches.
Target is not the only company that has to deal with public criticism.
Bud Light is still dealing with the fallout of its collaboration with transgender blogger Dylan Mulvaney who, in April, posted an Instagram picture with her face on a beer can. The company responded to the backlash with a statement that it had “never intended” to be a part of the discussion. However, they did not directly address the rhetoric and didn’t show clear support for Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch’s parent, Bud Light, is doubling its U.S. Marketing Spending
Several gay bars in Chicago halted the sale of Anheuser-Busch’s products early May to protest against its response.
The response of Anheuser-Busch to the 2Bears Tavern in Chicago “shows just how little the company cares for the LGBTQIA+ and transgender communities, in particular, who are under constant attack in this nation.”
The company stated that “since Anheuser-Busch doesn’t support us, we won’t support it.”
Sidetrack, the Midwest’s largest gay bar, said that Anheuser-Busch had “wrongly validated the position” that it was acceptable to give in to those who don’t support the transgender community and want to eliminate LGBTQ+ visibility.
Disney is involved in a battle against Gov. Ron DeSantis after the company voiced its opposition to the state’s classroom limitations regarding gender identity and sexuality.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a satirical LGBTQ Drag troupe will be once again welcome to the team’s Pride Night. This announcement comes nearly a week since the team withdrew its invitation citing the backlash of conservative Roman Catholics who claimed the group mocked the Christian faith.
Brian K. Bond is the executive director of PFLAG. The organization was founded in 1973 as a voice for LGBTQ people and families.
“I believe that both businesses and citizens must look inward to find new strategies. He said that the old models don’t always work.
Victoria Cobb, President of The Family Foundation of Virginia in Richmond, a conservative and faith-based group, expressed concern about the effect of Target’s Pride display on children.
Cobb, in a press release, said that Target was paying the price because it told children to be unhappy with their bodies and put ideology before the interests of investors. It also created a hostile environment for parents who have young children.
On Sunday, Pride products were prominently displayed in a Richmond Target.
Brenda Alston, 75, retired, bought a pair rainbow sandals as a way to show her support for Target and the LGBTQ community.
Alston told customers to “keep walking” if they didn’t like the product. They could find what they needed in another section of the store. Who are you to tell what I should buy or what Target customers should be offered?
Some people see Target’s hostility and that of other retailers as the latest in decades-long struggles for equality.
“To me, it’s a sign we’re winning,” said Derek Mize. He is a gay lawyer who lives with his wife and two children in a suburb of Atlanta.
He said: “I believe that the people who complain about our visibility are dying prejudices.” “Society has changed, and the majority of people don’t care if Target sells a shirt with an LGBTQ logo.”
