Target Removes Some LGBTQ Merchandise from Stores Ahead of Pride Month After Threats to Workers
“Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday
Target is removing certain items from its 2023 Pride collection after the company says some employees experienced threats.
“For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month,” Target wrote in a statement released on Wednesday. “Since introducing this year's collection, we've experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and well-being while at work.”
Although the statement did not go into specifics, the company said that at some stores, customers had knocked down Pride displays and posted threatening videos, according to the Associated Press. The threats were also made as a number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills have advanced around the country.
“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's statement continued. The company did not identify which items will be removed.
Related: Brands Giving Back to LGBTQ Organizations in a Big Way During Pride Month
As the statement came to a close, Target reiterated its support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
"Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year," the statement read.
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Although Target didn't reveal which pieces of the collection would be pulled from shelves, according to the Associated Press, some consumers were upset about “tuck-friendly” swimsuits, made to help trans women who haven't had gender-affirming care.
Despite what some misleading videos might have said, a spokesperson for the company said the swimsuits were only offered in adult sizes, the news agency reported
Some of the colorful Pride items that still remain on Target’s website include adult and kid’s clothing, home decor pieces, pet gear, books, and accessories.
The company confirmed to the AP that in some Southern locations, Pride merchandise has been moved to the back of the store.
The collection was released in early May and will remain in stores through Pride Month, which is June.
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