Amid growing boycotts and massive losses, Target has maintained its endorsement of LGBTQ ideology by sponsoring Dallas Pride events and participating in a local pride parade.
According to Dallas Pride’s website, Target is one of many corporations funding Pride events this month. Other sponsors include Geico, American Airlines, Lockheed Martin, Orange Theory Fitness, Amazon, Dairy Farmers of America, Fossil, the Dallas Mavericks, Honda, Denny’s, Toyota, AT&T, Chase Bank, McDonald’s, and many more.
Ella Maulding shared a video on Twitter of Target’s Pride float driving in from Fair Park’s Hall of State, noting, “Guess @Target didn’t get the memo and instead displayed this massive float today at Dallas Pride.”
Guess @Target didn’t get the memo and instead displayed this massive float today at Dallas Pride. pic.twitter.com/9zz9Jpal63
— Ella Maulding (@ellamaulding) June 4, 2023
Target began participating in the Pride parade in 2018, according to Target employee Yvette Jeddery, who posted a picture of the corporation’s participation in the event and claimed, “The crowd couldn’t be happier that Target attended their first Dallas pride parade!! Thank you to all that came out.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, outrage over Target’s promotion of controversial items led to widespread boycott efforts nationwide. Target has reportedly lost well over $10 billion in market cap as stocks have fallen to a 52-week low since the boycott calls began.
Some of the products included items designed by a self-identified transgender gay Satanist who designed items that allegedly called for violence against “cis-gendered” people, per The Dallas Express.
The pushback led Target to remove or relocate some of its LGBTQ items, sparking criticism from LGBTQ groups and supporters.
Pride Frisco’s Justin Culpepper said, “While Target may have the luxury of relocating items to the back of the store to protect employee’s safety, I ask others to consider LGBTQIA+ people whose safety is threatened daily just for existing.”
“Our community needs allies that stand up on a continuous basis, not just those looking for a quick June marketing campaign who flee at the first sign of controversy,” Culpepper continued. “Target has spent over 10 years cultivating a positive brand image among the LGBTQIA+ community; this decision has certainly tarnished that image.”
Culpepper concluded, “This sends the message that LGBTQIA+ people and anything representing them are to be hidden or minimized. Target is attempting to have it both ways, but unfortunately, you can’t please everyone. If a person, organization, or company truly supports you, they wouldn’t try to minimize your existence.”
Additionally, Texas Family Project Policy Director Austin Griesinger denounced Target’s continued support for LGBTQ ideology.
“Woke anti-family companies like Target are doubling down on their terrible decisions … Pro-family Texans need to make this hurt for them. They are actively seeking to indoctrinate and groom children, and it’s horrific,” he said, per Texas Scorecard.
