LGBTQ+ activists are asking for fresh campaigns to persuade business executives not to give in to anti-LGBTQ+ groups after Target said last week that it has removed merchandise and moved Pride displays to the rear of several shops in the South.
Need a Strong Strategy
“We need a strategy on how to deal with corporations that are experiencing enormous pressure to throw LGBTQ people under the bus,” said California state senator Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco and a member of the LGBTQ legislative caucus.
He added, “If you’re our ally if you’re truly our ally, you need to be our ally, not just when it’s easy but also when it’s hard. We need to send a clear message to corporate America.”
The incident comes at a time when conflict over LGBTQ+ rights is boiling, despite the retailer’s claim that steps were taken to ensure the safety and well-being of its staff after protesters tore down Pride signs and attacked store employees. This year, there have been about 500 anti-LGBTQ+ measures submitted in state legislatures across the US. At least 18 states have passed legislation limiting or outlawing care for transgender children that is gender-affirming.
Hiring Security Consultants
Some organizations have hired security consultants to advise them on activities planned for Pride Month, which starts on Thursday, as a result of the hostile environment. We must reconsider how we handle security at our events and whether we can broadcast the names and emails of our workers on our website, said Janson Wu, executive director of LGBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, a nonprofit legal rights organization based in Boston.
There have been discussions about a potential boycott, a letter-writing campaign, and other activities against Target, according to Debra Porta, executive director of Pride Northwest in Portland, Oregon, but no formal plans for a protest have yet been made. More steps might be announced because the information is still relatively recent, especially as Pride Month approaches, according to Porta.
Negative Public Opinion
Not just Target is dealing with negative public opinion. As a result of its association with transgender celebrity Dylan Mulvaney, who in April shared a photo of a beer can with her face on it on Instagram, Bud Light is still having to deal with the aftermath. The business stated that it “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people” in reaction to the subsequent hate-filled and transphobic backlash, but it didn’t specifically address this. Address the hyperbole or express your strong backing for Mulvaney. Anheuser-Busch, the parent firm of Bud Light, is increasing its marketing expenditures in the United States this summer in an effort to make up for lost sales.
