Target will allow stores to decide whether or not to carry Pride merch. Human rights groups are concerned

A human rights group says LGBTQ+ people will be “alienated” by Target’s decision to not carry Pride Month merchandise in some of its stores this year, after backlash in 2023.

Target, which operates roughly 2,000 stores, said Friday that the decision to offer Pride merchandise at “select stores” will be based on “guest insights and consumer research”.

A spokesperson for the discount retailer told The Independent that the company wanted to create “a welcoming and supportive environment for our LGBTQIA+ team members” after some staff received threats from angry customers when the products appeared in stores last year.

The decision, which includes more private pride events for team members, has been branded as “disappointing” by the Human Rights Campaign president.

“Pride merchandise means something. LGBTQ+ people are in every zip code in this country, and we aren’t going anywhere,” Kelley Robinson told The Independent.

“With LGBTQ+ people making up 30 per cent of Gen Z, companies need to understand that community members and allies want businesses that express full-hearted support for the community. That includes visible displays of allyship.

“Target’s decision is disappointing and alienates LGBTQ+ individuals and allies at the risk of not only their bottom line but also their values.”

Target was heavily criticised last year, by both those who felt Pride displays were too strong and those who were upset when that merchandise was moved to the back of some stores, or removed entirely.

The company said it remained committed to supporting LGBTQ+ people.

“Most importantly, we want to create a welcoming and supportive environment for our LGBTQIA+ team members, which reflects our culture of care for the over 400,000 people who work at Target,” a spokesperson told The Independent.

“Beyond our own teams, we will have a presence at local Pride events in Minneapolis and around the country, and we continue to support a number of LGBTQIA+ organisations.”

Other LGBTQ+ rights groups spoke out against the 2024 plans, with Cameron Bartosiewicz, President of the Youth Pride Association, calling the decision “disappointing and enlightening”.

“This decision only further affirms that their support of the LGBTQ community is superficial, performative, and profit-driven,” Mr Bartosiewicz told The Independent. “Target cannot make millions off the goodwill of Pride Month and the LGBTQ community while bending to the will of bigotry and hate. GLSEN should do better in fostering corporate stewardship between Target and our community."

GLAAD told The Independent it would make good business sense for Target to show greater support the LGBTQ+ community.

“A strong majority of non-LGBTQ Americans agree that companies should publicly support and include the LGBTQ community and are neutral to positive about Pride merchandise being offered, so we know there will be broad support for Target’s 2024 Pride collection,” the group’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.

“Last year, hundreds of brands celebrated Pride loudly and proudly, and based on GLAAD’s conversations with corporates so far this year, 2024 is on track to be another strong showing of support. America’s workplaces, communities, and yes, even stores, are stronger when they are inclusive and values-driven.”

Target's latest move is just another example of how companies have struggled to cater to different groups of customers at a time of extreme cultural divides, particularly around transgender rights.

Last year’s backlash affected the company’s profits and even saw it sued by a group, which encouraged a boycott of the store over the merchandise and then said Target had failed to anticipate the negative reaction it would get.

Target and other retailers, including Walmart and H&M, had been expanding their LGBTQ+ displays to celebrate Pride month for roughly a decade. But last year, transgender issues – including gender-affirming healthcare and participation in sports – were divisive topics in state legislatures and the backlash turned hostile.

Target's move to scale back its presence of Pride merchandise for this year isn't unexpected.

Last August, CEO Brian Cornell told reporters that Target learned from the backlash and said that it will be more thoughtful in its merchandise offerings for its heritage months, which celebrate various ethnic and marginalised groups.

Target said it will have a slightly more focused assortment and will reconsider the mix of its own and national brands with its external partners.

“As we navigate an ever-changing operating and social environment, we’re applying what we’ve learned, to ensure we’re staying close to our guests and their expectations of Target,” he said.