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Target announced a muted rollout of its Pride Month collection this year in the wake of 2023’s vicious anti-trans campaign, launched by conservatives, that the company said endangered its employees and affected sales.
In a statement Thursday, Target said its Pride collection will be available online and in select stores “based on historical sales performance.” As The New York Times reported, the rollout will be a marked departure from how the retailer approached marketing its Pride merchandise in previous years, when those products were prominently displayed in stores.
Target’s statement about its 2024 Pride Month plans also only refers to “adult apparel.” Last year’s boycott, fueled by attacks from right-wing political activists like Matt Walsh and Charlie Kirk, centered on false claims that the retailer was selling “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for children and satanic children’s clothing.
At the time, the company said the largely social media–fueled campaign had translated to real-life confrontations, as people harassed its employees and tore down displays in stores. Target later said its second-quarter sales dropped by 5%, though it did not specify how much of that could be attributed to the anti-trans campaign.
Target has put out Pride collections for many years now, but last year was the first time the company faced any backlash. Bud Light’s sales were also affected last year when conservatives launched a boycott after trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney filmed sponsored content for the beer.
These boycotts have coincided with concerted GOP efforts to pass harmful anti-trans legislation and fearmonger about “wokeness.” And judging by Target’s decision to pare back its Pride Month rollout this year, the right’s manufactured outrage behind the culture war has had an impact.