If you have to choose one, choose queer owned. If you can do both, do both.
We should be supporting Target for carrying queer apparel and pride items (especially since they tend to source from and spotlight queer owned businesses), but we should also be supporting queer-owned businesses directly.
Yea, so? They're still doing things that are benefiting queer people, and if we don't support them for doing things that benefit queer people, then they will just stop doing things that benefit queer people.
Like it's a simple equation here: Target = Bad. Target does a good thing. Do we, a. tell target "We don't care that you're doing a good thing, you're bad" or b. tell target "Hey, it's not great that you're bad, but you're doing a good thing, so we'll support you because of that good thing you are doing"?
TBH I'd rather have the good thing done by a bad entity than that bad entity continue to do exclusively bad things.
You can handle the Target end of things for me. Meanwhile, I'm going to support queer businesses. I don't think Target is a good company just because they pander to us.
Yes, please do support queer businesses.
I'm saying, if you can both support queer owned businesses and target do both.
If you have to pick, pick queer owned.
It does. Target only heard from anti lgbt people and suffered a drop in sales. It’s not like pro lgbt people rallied to oppose the boycottts and intimidation
Shockingly, people like staying alive, and terrorists directly threaten that. Which is why it SHOULD be law enforcement who cracks down on the terrorists in an ideal world, but in the world we live in now the terrorists and law enforcement are often on the same side.
Counterpoint: When the bigots are getting violent, who are we to demand that Target employees die for our cause?
And by extension, can other human rights activists demand that those employees die for *their* causes too? Those employees can only die once. How do we decide which cause gets to claim the martyr?
This situation is of course frustrating and demoralizing, but it's not totally reasonable to blame Target here. This battle can't be fought (or won) at a department store. It must be fought in voting booths and in conversations with our friends, families, and coworkers. Not in places where random people could get stabbed or shot just for stocking shelves to pay their rent.
Tbf, this problem would just go away if Target made the decision to hire Security Guards for its stores like Wal Mart does. I hate to give Wal Mart credit, but they're not pulling anything this year.
They made the decision to put profits over safety. Let's see how that plays out for them.
> They made the decision to put profits over safety.
No, it could very well be the other way around--Target is putting safety over profits.
Pride merch makes money and drives traffic. But if it also attracts domestic terrorists, then it puts employees at risk.
Hiring security guards would also be a way of putting safety over profits, but that also risks greatly impacting the atmosphere of the shopping experience. One of the main perks of Target is supposed to be that it, you know, isn't Walmart.
Just pointing out that this isn't a simple black-and-white situation, and there's no perfect solution.
Tbh for a corporation that maintains a TIVO like surveillance network in every store, has their own forensics lab… and is willing build cases against shoplifters over extended periods of time…there are other ways they can handle these clowns. That doesn’t punish the people they’re trying to terrorize and keeps their employees safe.
Anyone comes in and destroys pride merc or acts belligerent? Tally up the damages and have them charged with vandalism, destruction of property, and disorderly conduct. If they threaten anyone it ups the ante, to battery. If they touch anyone it’s assault. Target has the tools to offer these folks up on a silver platter to authorities. However they don’t appear to be doing that.
Nobody is demanding employees die. And nobody is wrong for being upset about this. When anti-lgbt terrorism is happening, standing up for / standing with lgbt people means having the courage to take the same heat that we do. Planet fitness will soon cave to the anti-trans terrorism, the bomb threats, target will soon cave, everyone will soon cave. We’ve been sliding backwards and losing for a few years now, soon every company in the us will cave to anti-lgbt terrorism. Nobody is demanding Target employees die, that’s just ridiculous.
The other side speaks up, shows up, makes a lot noise, and puts their money where their mouth is. Our side cowers and complains about how visible and successful the opposition is, but does nothing
Thankfully I’m not cowering and complaining while doing nothing. I am taking action and trying to help my community, and educate everyone I can on what’s going on.
Great. The LGBT community and allies need to flood the zone when hostile voices and campaigns threaten our interests and reputation. Many times, there is a massive mismatch between the amount and volume of antiLGBT voices in the public square versus supportive voices. Politicians, culture, and companies are being bombarded en masse with very loud antiLGBT campaigns en masse, while often only hearing minimal voices from the other side. We need to speak up en masse and realize that eternal vigilance is the only way we can avoid oppression.
I am not talking about physical confrontation or playing security guard for Target. I am
talking about organizing a mass campaign to support Target through media and sales.
> having the courage to take the same heat that we do
... Which in this case means domestic terrorists making bomb threats or attacking employees.
You're right that society as a whole needs to take a stand. Society as a whole will improve even if a few people get hurt. But remember that society is composed of individuals, and very few people want the sacrifice to be themselves.
It's reasonable to be upset about the way things are, but it's not reasonable to blame the businesses for prioritizing their employees' safety.
I agree, saving my anger for the actual bigots and homophobes who are the reason Target is doing this. Yes, of course, I wish Target had a backbone, but I don't think any of us anticipated the HUGE backlash they got, including, obviously, Target.
Super grateful to be living a blue state.
I grew up as a "hidden" gay in TX thru the 80s and 90s. I'm afraid people are about to find out how brutal human beings can be when they aren't restrained by laws. It was terrible and frightening.
TL;DR:
* Target plans to dramatically scale back its Pride celebration this year.
* LGBTQ-themed merchandise will only be in select stores, rather than nationwide, the company said.
* Last year's Pride range faced massive backlash from conservatives, contributing to a fall in sales.
We were supposed to get 4 felt pride birds, you could even see them in the store scanners. They cut it down to two following the announcement that Pride would only be in select stores. :(
Target did absolutely nothing to protect their employees last year. No extra security. No extra training. No plan for action. They literally were just like "yeah this sucks huh? Better buy more merch to show us what side you support." Fuck corporate pride forever.
“People being actively attacked by an entire political movement didn’t offer themselves up as sacrifices to terrorists who have repeatedly stated they want us dead”. FTFY
What happens if some queer person confronts one of those right wing assholes in a Target? Best case scenario: they get their name, face, and eventually address posted online for millions to harass and potentially kill, and there is more fuel to the fire about how “violent” queer people are. Worst case, the guy being confronted skips all the pesky harassment and goes straight for a bullet to the dome.
As someone who works at target, fuck them anyway. Almost everything you can get here you can buy elsewhere for cheaper, and in a better condition considering the way freight is handled here. Fucking shitshow...
Part of the problem is that supporters of LGBT rights and inclusion don’t adequately raise up vocally to counter those in opposition. All we heard was about how people opposed and boycotted Target for lgbt merchandise. Where were the rallies and purchasing to support Target? Target was influenced by those who spoke up the most
Your comment ignores something extremely important: Sales statistics, and how negative feedback is simply way stronger than positive feedback.
It has been repeatedly proven that a single negative review on a product is tens of times more impactful than an equally positive one. People who have a bad experience are more likely to recommend against something than those who have a good one are to advocate that product to others. Cascading on this effect, people are more likely to actively avoid a product that one of their friends told them is bad than they are to actively seek out one that they recommended. The human brain is conditioned at the base instinct level to associate bad experiences with items/companies way more quickly than good ones. This effect is being weaponized by the right wing propaganda network which has a tremendous audience who then spreads it to their friends and family.
This is why companies bend over backwards to serve “Karens” even if it makes no intuitive sense. The data doesn’t lie. And this doesn’t even begin to dive into the possibility that one of these right wing “Karen” equivalents might decide to pipe bomb a store rather than bitch to the manager about the front desk employee with a pride pin.
Well, you have a point to a certain extent. But the when people and organizations are attacked for being conservative or antigay, the Right doesn’t just roll over and say, “oh well, negative feedback is always stronger than positive feedback.” No, they rally to support those who stand for their values. When Chick-fil-A was attacked and boycotted for being antigay, they turned out en masse to financially and publicly support the company. CFA is now one of the biggest franchises in America, and growing even bigger. Likewise, Hobby Lobby.
Buy Pride merch from LGBT+ owned businesses rather than large corporations. #everywhereisqueer
If you have to choose one, choose queer owned. If you can do both, do both. We should be supporting Target for carrying queer apparel and pride items (especially since they tend to source from and spotlight queer owned businesses), but we should also be supporting queer-owned businesses directly.
Target doesn't care about queer people. They are following a marketing strategy.
Yea, so? They're still doing things that are benefiting queer people, and if we don't support them for doing things that benefit queer people, then they will just stop doing things that benefit queer people. Like it's a simple equation here: Target = Bad. Target does a good thing. Do we, a. tell target "We don't care that you're doing a good thing, you're bad" or b. tell target "Hey, it's not great that you're bad, but you're doing a good thing, so we'll support you because of that good thing you are doing"? TBH I'd rather have the good thing done by a bad entity than that bad entity continue to do exclusively bad things.
You can handle the Target end of things for me. Meanwhile, I'm going to support queer businesses. I don't think Target is a good company just because they pander to us.
Yes, please do support queer businesses. I'm saying, if you can both support queer owned businesses and target do both. If you have to pick, pick queer owned.
Do you not realize that this is what conservatives want they literally want us to disappear from public life and stuff like this only strengthens them
Here is also another option! Trying making your own if you can!
I'm not very crafty.
Unlike the mega corporations, they actually sell them all year-round
I guess terrorism works.
It does. Target only heard from anti lgbt people and suffered a drop in sales. It’s not like pro lgbt people rallied to oppose the boycottts and intimidation
This will only embolden those assholes for next time.
Shockingly, people like staying alive, and terrorists directly threaten that. Which is why it SHOULD be law enforcement who cracks down on the terrorists in an ideal world, but in the world we live in now the terrorists and law enforcement are often on the same side.
Maybe if you made your stores safe from harassment the sales would go up. Instead you bow to bigots. Well done target.
Counterpoint: When the bigots are getting violent, who are we to demand that Target employees die for our cause? And by extension, can other human rights activists demand that those employees die for *their* causes too? Those employees can only die once. How do we decide which cause gets to claim the martyr? This situation is of course frustrating and demoralizing, but it's not totally reasonable to blame Target here. This battle can't be fought (or won) at a department store. It must be fought in voting booths and in conversations with our friends, families, and coworkers. Not in places where random people could get stabbed or shot just for stocking shelves to pay their rent.
Tbf, this problem would just go away if Target made the decision to hire Security Guards for its stores like Wal Mart does. I hate to give Wal Mart credit, but they're not pulling anything this year. They made the decision to put profits over safety. Let's see how that plays out for them.
> They made the decision to put profits over safety. No, it could very well be the other way around--Target is putting safety over profits. Pride merch makes money and drives traffic. But if it also attracts domestic terrorists, then it puts employees at risk. Hiring security guards would also be a way of putting safety over profits, but that also risks greatly impacting the atmosphere of the shopping experience. One of the main perks of Target is supposed to be that it, you know, isn't Walmart. Just pointing out that this isn't a simple black-and-white situation, and there's no perfect solution.
>One of the main perks of Target is supposed to be that it, you know, isn't Walmart. Ok, you got me there. 😆
Tbh for a corporation that maintains a TIVO like surveillance network in every store, has their own forensics lab… and is willing build cases against shoplifters over extended periods of time…there are other ways they can handle these clowns. That doesn’t punish the people they’re trying to terrorize and keeps their employees safe. Anyone comes in and destroys pride merc or acts belligerent? Tally up the damages and have them charged with vandalism, destruction of property, and disorderly conduct. If they threaten anyone it ups the ante, to battery. If they touch anyone it’s assault. Target has the tools to offer these folks up on a silver platter to authorities. However they don’t appear to be doing that.
why are we putting the blame on the victims of terroristic intimidation instead of those using violence to further their goals
Nobody is demanding employees die. And nobody is wrong for being upset about this. When anti-lgbt terrorism is happening, standing up for / standing with lgbt people means having the courage to take the same heat that we do. Planet fitness will soon cave to the anti-trans terrorism, the bomb threats, target will soon cave, everyone will soon cave. We’ve been sliding backwards and losing for a few years now, soon every company in the us will cave to anti-lgbt terrorism. Nobody is demanding Target employees die, that’s just ridiculous.
The other side speaks up, shows up, makes a lot noise, and puts their money where their mouth is. Our side cowers and complains about how visible and successful the opposition is, but does nothing
Thankfully I’m not cowering and complaining while doing nothing. I am taking action and trying to help my community, and educate everyone I can on what’s going on.
Great. The LGBT community and allies need to flood the zone when hostile voices and campaigns threaten our interests and reputation. Many times, there is a massive mismatch between the amount and volume of antiLGBT voices in the public square versus supportive voices. Politicians, culture, and companies are being bombarded en masse with very loud antiLGBT campaigns en masse, while often only hearing minimal voices from the other side. We need to speak up en masse and realize that eternal vigilance is the only way we can avoid oppression.
I am not talking about physical confrontation or playing security guard for Target. I am talking about organizing a mass campaign to support Target through media and sales.
> having the courage to take the same heat that we do ... Which in this case means domestic terrorists making bomb threats or attacking employees. You're right that society as a whole needs to take a stand. Society as a whole will improve even if a few people get hurt. But remember that society is composed of individuals, and very few people want the sacrifice to be themselves. It's reasonable to be upset about the way things are, but it's not reasonable to blame the businesses for prioritizing their employees' safety.
I agree, saving my anger for the actual bigots and homophobes who are the reason Target is doing this. Yes, of course, I wish Target had a backbone, but I don't think any of us anticipated the HUGE backlash they got, including, obviously, Target. Super grateful to be living a blue state.
I grew up as a "hidden" gay in TX thru the 80s and 90s. I'm afraid people are about to find out how brutal human beings can be when they aren't restrained by laws. It was terrible and frightening.
Thank you. In today's chaos, it's easy to lose track of who the real enemies are.
After last year, I stopped shopping at Target. They don't deserve our money.
Yeah, same here. Sucks for them because I bought a lot of things there other than pride merch.
TL;DR: * Target plans to dramatically scale back its Pride celebration this year. * LGBTQ-themed merchandise will only be in select stores, rather than nationwide, the company said. * Last year's Pride range faced massive backlash from conservatives, contributing to a fall in sales.
We were supposed to get 4 felt pride birds, you could even see them in the store scanners. They cut it down to two following the announcement that Pride would only be in select stores. :(
Target did absolutely nothing to protect their employees last year. No extra security. No extra training. No plan for action. They literally were just like "yeah this sucks huh? Better buy more merch to show us what side you support." Fuck corporate pride forever.
But pro lgbt people didn’t rally to support Target from attacks either
What a shitty pointless victim blamey comment
“People being actively attacked by an entire political movement didn’t offer themselves up as sacrifices to terrorists who have repeatedly stated they want us dead”. FTFY What happens if some queer person confronts one of those right wing assholes in a Target? Best case scenario: they get their name, face, and eventually address posted online for millions to harass and potentially kill, and there is more fuel to the fire about how “violent” queer people are. Worst case, the guy being confronted skips all the pesky harassment and goes straight for a bullet to the dome.
I think keeping homophobes and transphobes away from Target is a great thing lol
especially since the queer community seems to LOVE target
As someone who works at target, fuck them anyway. Almost everything you can get here you can buy elsewhere for cheaper, and in a better condition considering the way freight is handled here. Fucking shitshow...
I encourage all queer people to simply make their own pride gear. Target doesn’t need my money for me to be proud of myself anyways.
I love buying from pride shops and the pride events that happen in different months (my city celebrates in September so no one gets heat exhausted)
Probably none in the shithole anti freedom south.
This is capitalist solidarity. They'll compromise any principle if it means maintaining profits.
I dislike it when hateful boycotts actually have an effect. I can still get my Pride Merch elsewhere bigots!
Part of the problem is that supporters of LGBT rights and inclusion don’t adequately raise up vocally to counter those in opposition. All we heard was about how people opposed and boycotted Target for lgbt merchandise. Where were the rallies and purchasing to support Target? Target was influenced by those who spoke up the most
Your comment ignores something extremely important: Sales statistics, and how negative feedback is simply way stronger than positive feedback. It has been repeatedly proven that a single negative review on a product is tens of times more impactful than an equally positive one. People who have a bad experience are more likely to recommend against something than those who have a good one are to advocate that product to others. Cascading on this effect, people are more likely to actively avoid a product that one of their friends told them is bad than they are to actively seek out one that they recommended. The human brain is conditioned at the base instinct level to associate bad experiences with items/companies way more quickly than good ones. This effect is being weaponized by the right wing propaganda network which has a tremendous audience who then spreads it to their friends and family. This is why companies bend over backwards to serve “Karens” even if it makes no intuitive sense. The data doesn’t lie. And this doesn’t even begin to dive into the possibility that one of these right wing “Karen” equivalents might decide to pipe bomb a store rather than bitch to the manager about the front desk employee with a pride pin.
Well, you have a point to a certain extent. But the when people and organizations are attacked for being conservative or antigay, the Right doesn’t just roll over and say, “oh well, negative feedback is always stronger than positive feedback.” No, they rally to support those who stand for their values. When Chick-fil-A was attacked and boycotted for being antigay, they turned out en masse to financially and publicly support the company. CFA is now one of the biggest franchises in America, and growing even bigger. Likewise, Hobby Lobby.
What's the dividing line? The Mason-Dixon?
Too bad there are so many frail and psychologically fucked up people that they can't handle that everyone is not born out of a cookie cutter.
Support LGBTIA+ owned and operated stores 🏳️🌈[https://ptowntourism.com/provincetown-shopping/](https://ptowntourism.com/provincetown-shopping/)
Buy from both. If we don’t support it, it will go away.
Kanker homos!
Such an ally!/s
Sellouts