Target to Reduce Number of Stores Carrying Pride-Themed Merchandise

I'm disgusted by Target's decision, but at the same time I'm also put off by all that Pride junk.

So no more chest binders for children? Oh, no.

I forgot all about the crap Target went through last year for carrying PRIDE merchandise. None of the stores in my area (New England) had to face that, as far as I can tell.

I am guessing the stores that are not carrying the items did not sell enough in the past to warrant putting them out this year. It is most likely a business decision.

Good.

The Pride stuff always seemed out of place there. I like to associate gays with Saks not Target.

It's sad they gave into Cristian nationalist pressure but their mech was just ridiculous and a money grab. Maybe one t-shirt or one mug...not 500 different pieces of rainbow pride merch.

Regardless, the same assholes who were protesting pride merch last year will find it someplace else.

I appreciate Target making the effort to include Pride merchandise. It means a lot they are supportive of the LGBT community and willing to demonstrate it.

However, it's not really necessary to have Pride merchandise in every store. New York and San Francisco -- YES, definitely. But Podunk and Bumfuck -- NO, just skip it. Beside, they likely aren't selling very much, if any, in Podunk and Bumfuck anyway.

Along similar lines, the Pride merchandise that Target carries isn't really anything special. Just seems like cheap items with rainbow colors splashed on them. Nothing particularly special or high quality.

R9, I really like your post and agree 100%.

They don’t have to call it Pride. It used to just be multi-colored rainbow. I like colorful things but I don’t really want to wear it now.

Good. This Pride shit has really gotten out of control. It is fucking absurd.

Where am I going to shop for competitively priced dildos now?

[quote]I'm also put off by all that Pride junk.

Speaking of Pride junk - will Target still be carrying the trans-tuck bathing suits this year?

It’s all stupid tacky shit anyway

They need to offer MUCH LESS OF THIS CRAP. And who cares if it's not in shops where no customers want to buy it or where christian fundies take office for attention seeking and to "get the libs". It's a bunch of crap.

Every Target store should have at least some pride merch if any of them do. I find the "Fuck them in bumfuck" attitude atrocious when those gays realistically need that message more and finding pride merch locally is more difficult for them too.

Yes, Target went way overboard with the tacky crap. And it got needlessly controversial with the chest binders and shit. And yes, you don't need much besides a t-shirt or two in some lesser visited stores, OK. But eliminating it completely in some stores is giving in to thugs. And I hate when stores and people just give up and give in to people breaking the law, regardless of motivation (shoplifting rings, bigotry, etc.). Giving into terrorists helps no one in the long run.

Decorate the stores tastefully and promote an online Pride store on their website or something. Maybe have a small end cap with limited, sellable items.

Why would I want to support such a cynical attempt to cash in on something that has real meaning to some people?

R17 you make good points but still it's a bunch of imported crap. Who makes money selling that stuff? How does commercial crap commodities promote LGBTQRSTUV Pride? As for LGBTQRSTUVWX people in bumfuck, I'm sure they can get their hands on pride merch if they should want it by ordering online or through local LGBTQRSTUVWX organisations or in their visits to the big cities.

Two years ago, the Ralphs grocery stores (owned by Kroger) in Southern California, had rainbow colored plastic plates, bowls and glasses (tumblers) on sale, mixed in with various other plastic plates, bowls and glasses for sale in a display.

I wasn't sure whether this was a subtle attempt to promote Pride or just someone completely unaware of the gay connection ordering these colored plates because the rainbow designs were attractive.

I'm curious if WalMart or Kohl's will be carrying Pride merch this summer ?

I've never bought Pride merchandise in my life and have no desire to, but I couldn't give a fuck if a shop wants to sell it.

Imagine protesting at some rainbow plastic cups and being glad your protesting got it removed from sale.

I remain convinced protestors of that nature have nothing going on in their lives.

Though I live in an upscale gayborhood, I have to say the only pride merch I see displayed throughout the neighborhood is the occasional pride flag or pride windsock hanging by the front door. That's it. Very tasteful, very nice. When I see men and women strolling the streets, I never see tees or hats with rainbows. I never see bumper stickers with rainbows on cars.

I don't see any merch in Cap Ferrat either, R24. 😵‍💫

I'm always chasing rainbows.

"Though I live in an upscale gayborhood"

Gurl please you sound pretentious ,like Mrs. Drysdale from the Beverly Hillbillies. Another "A" gay enthocentric. How's that Audi Convertible working for you?

R9, i have the opposite view. For gay folks - excuse me, LGBTQIA folks - in cities like NY and SF, the presence of Pride-themed merchandise in Target doesn’t matter much because it’s available in many other places. But i feel like if you’re gay and living in a small rural or suburban town, possibly closeted, possibly without contact with other LGBT people, the presence and visibility of Pride merch in your local Target can be so meaningful.

- selling tuck bathing suits for children is absurd - selling rainbow cups and paper plates is stupid - protesting the sale of such items is stupider - kowtowing to such protests is pathetic

I don’t really care what target does. I appreciate their transparency in dealing with the issue. But still, they’ve definitely lost some esteem over their handling of last year’s conTROversy.

All the Pride products I saw for kids last year at Target were things like rainbow shirts with generic text ("be kind"). Nothing else.

Trannies ruin everything.

R30, there were chest binders in my story.

R28 thinks it’s 1981.

Gays are all about communism and against pink capitalism so they should be happy about this.

So, no T-shirt in Jungle Red that screams "ITS MAM!!!!" ?

R27 is triggered in his trailer park.