A Target customer said in a viral video that one location’s Pride merchandise was replaced with a display for swimsuits.
After releasing merchandise for Target’s annual Pride collection, the company and collection designer received a wave of anti-LGBTQ backlash. On May 24, Target announced that it would be “removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior” for the safety of its in-store employees.
Many have criticized Target for pulling Pride merchandise. TikToker Soph Delorett posted a video last week showing what used to be a Pride merchandise section turned into a summer display in a Target location.
“The whole Pride section of this Target has been taken down,” Delorett says in her video. “And replaced with swimsuits.”
Neither Target nor Delorett immediately responded to the Daily Dot’s request for comment.
In her video’s caption, Delorett wrote, “This is why we don’t need rainbow capitalism. It always caves.”
@sophforpresident this is why we dont need rainbow capitalism. it always caves. #target #targetpride #targetpridecollection #lgbtq #pride #pridemonth #pridecollection #texas #lgbtqtexas ♬ original sound – Sophie Marie
Many commenters said that their local Target stores had either relocated the Pride section or removed it entirely.
“The one in Mansfield was gone today too,” @cynthiabarnesdaniels commented.
“Wait yours was gone!?” @its.me.t.c. wrote. “Mine was just moved to the back!”
“My target had the pride section in front you could see it from the registers,” @leichan96 commented. “And they moved it to the middle behind the fitting rooms.”
Others criticized people who caused disturbances about the Pride merchandise in the first place.
“Such fragile snowflakes can’t stand seeing rainbows,” @bjpatx commented.
“They don’t have a problem with kids in bikinis though… Because it was never about ‘sexualizing kids,’” @jonseekingpeace wrote. “They just hate the LGBTQ community.”
“Fascism in real life,” @madame_fisher2.0 commented.
