Target Corp. is removing some LGBTQ-themed merchandise after threatening behavior by some customers ahead of Pride Month in June, which honors lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
“For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month,” the company said in a statement Wednesday. “Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work.”
The threats and the company’s reaction are thrusting Target into US culture wars around same-sex relationships and transgender people, which have roiled social media websites and corporate boardrooms. Anheuser-Busch InBev NV’s Bud Light brand lost sales after engaging with a transgender influencer to promote the beer. Walt Disney Co. is locked in a feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after opposing legislation barring discussion of sexual identity in the state’s schools.
Target didn’t say which items it will remove. One product that generated criticism on social media was a “tuck-friendly” swimsuit with “extra crotch coverage” that could be used by transgender people, the Associated Press reported. While some posts on social media said the bathing suit was for kids, Target said it’s only available in adult sizes, according to the AP.
