Target pulls some Pride collection items after threats to employees
NBCNov 25, 2022
The Facts
Bomb threats made against five Target stores in Ohio and Pennsylvania have turned out to be a hoax, the Police and the FBI confirmed over the weekend.
On Friday, a man reportedly emailed news stations claiming he had planted bombs in several Target stores because of their decision to pull Pride Month merchandise, thereby "turning their back on the LGBT community."
The Spin
Left narrative
Pride Month is an opportunity for the LGBT+ community to gather together and connect, which is why the opposition to Target's Pride-themed merchandise is so disheartening. Target must stand firm in the face of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and discrimination, and resist caving in to hate.
Right narrative
Target's Pride merchandise is inappropriately enforcing LGBT ideology onto children. It is not acceptable that vulnerable minors are exposed to products like tucking swimsuits and political slogans like: "Trans people will always exist." Target deserves to be boycotted for its unsuitable and politically biased promotion.
Establishment-critical narrative
While companies like Target may appear to be supporting LGBT+ rights through this kind of merchandising, this commodification of pride should be considered more critically as an act of Rainbow Capitalism. Corporate allyship must strike a tricky balance between principles of profit and supporting marginalized groups — in this case, Target's opportunistic branding has prompted backlash against the queer community without either strengthening representation or supporting social progress.
