Target's new gay pride collection 'a stupid move,' says Minnesota for Marriage

Target's new gay pride collection "a stupid move," says Minnesota for Marriage

By Aaron Rupar Fri., Jun. 1 2012 at 12:39 PM

Minnesota for Marriage doesn't like Target's support of this shirt's message.

Last week, we told you about how Target Corp. is trying to atone for a series of anti-gay missteps with its new "Wear It With Pride" collection.

Through the end of the month, all proceeds from the collection up to $120,000 will be donated to the pro-marriage equality Family Equality Council.

Unsurprisingly, this week Minnesota for Marriage, the state's leading anti-gay marriage group, blasted the company for rolling out the pro-GLBT collection, especially during the months leading up to a vote on a state constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.

Frank Schubert, campaign manager for Minnesota for Marriage, told MPR that he views the collection as "really kind of a slap in the face to people of faith and supporters of marriage."

Same-sex marriage opponents "constitute a large majority of people of Minnesota and an overwhelming majority of Target customers," so it's upsetting that the company "would intentionally inject themselves into the marriage campaign," Schubert said.

Last week, Minnesota for Marriage sent e-mails to supporters criticizing corporations like Target for supporting "genderless marriages here in Minnesota" and asking for contributions to protect traditional marriage. Schubert told MPR that the message ended up raising more funds for Minnesota for Marriage than any other e-mail the organization has sent.

"People are upset about it, and they're responding, and we encourage people to let Target know that they're upset," he said. "It was a stupid move on their part and we're going to hold them to account for it."

Target wants to distance itself from the anti-gay perception it cultivated in 2010-11.

Target, of course, has been a longtime sponsor of the Pride festival held each June. But during the 2010 campaign season, the company seemed to reverse course by giving $150,000 to an anti-gay, pro-Tom Emmer organization, then compounded the controversy by continuing to give to anti-gay politicians afterward.

Bad PR prompted the company to change its political donation policy early last year, making it more difficult for executives like conservative CEO Gregg Stienhafel to funnel money from Target's PAC to the candidates he probably supports as a private citizen.

Despite getting blasted by Minnesota for Marriage for rolling out "Wear It With Pride," Target spokespeople say the company remains committed to its new collection and the pro-gay marriage message it sends.

"Target supports inclusivity and diversity in every aspect of our business and has a long history of supporting the LGBT community through giving, volunteerism and event sponsorship and participation," the company says in a statement. "Target is pleased to be able to bring our guests products they want while, in turn, helping support the LGBT community through the donation of 100 percent of the purchase price to the Family Equality Council."

Related coverage:
-- Target tries to atone for anti-gay missteps with new pro-marriage equality promotion
-- Target apologizes for funding Tom Emmer ad
-- Target's gay problem keeps getting worse
-- Target kept on giving to anti-gay politicians after Emmer fiasco
-- Target changes political donation policy
-- Lady Gaga dumps Target over anti-gay donations

Tags:

Family Equality Council, Frank Schubert, gay marriage, gay rights, Gregg Stienhafel, Minnesota for Marriage, Wear It With Pride

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Blaine Y

Minnesote Can suck it the shirt or Great Have Pride.

scootervanneuter

Has anyone actually checked out Target's disgusting online ad?:

http://peacemoonbeam.typepad.c...

Joe

Why are Minnesota for Marriage folks so pissed? Did Target make a T shirt that specifically supports equal marriage rights? Nope.

Or is the group just calling themselves "Minnesota for Marriage" because it would be tacky to call themselves, "We Hate the Fags"?

Jennifer Klumpp

While this makes me want to go back to Target, I'm still going to be boycotting them. Have been for years, since they started allowing their pharmacists to refuse to give women their legal/safe prescriptions.

Cerebral Paulie LaGiglio

What do these shirts cost? $10 minimum? Think they'll sell 12,000 shirts in a month? I think so...really, it's just a way of making themselves look good. They were already prepared to write a check for $120,000 but when people spread the word about it, the "up to $120,000" part gets left out...so what person A says to person B is "100% of the proceeds go to the GLBT." Person B says, "Hell yeah!" and Target makes money. Hey, at least they're getting some money, but they're not going to get nearly as much as Target will out of the deal.

What's my point?,,, I don't even know...it pisses me off how companies always do that.

I'm conservative, straight, and I was raised catholic, but I say let them get married...who really cares? Jesus wont hate you if other people get married...that would be very un-Jesus. These people just have nothing better to worry about, and they know they're fighting a losing battle, so they're just going to do whatever it takes to make a company with deep pockets not support the opposition months before their whole world potentially comes crashing down around them.

People are mentioning that Emmer thing from awhile back... Target publicly stated that they donated to whoever was going to serve their company's interests best (who wouldn't?). I doubt this is any different really.

Dustin Haning

So now conservatives are ok with government telling business what to do? Aren't they allowed to sell whatever they want?

E K

A private entity is upset that another private entity is selling something they don't like. Nobody is asking the government to do anything.

TheBlob

Gays don't buy clothes at Target; they have taste.

All the same, though, how can these dickwads be upset with a private business for, you know, selling stuff? It's a t-shirt that says "pride" on it. Pretty tame. I doubt they're selling leather jumpsuits with the butthole cut out or chinstrap dildos or other things that I know about (don't ask me how).

Frank Is A Dick

Same-sex marriage opponents "constitute a large majority of people of Minnesota and an overwhelming majority of Target customers"

I think he's forgetting that the cities of Minneapolis and St Paul are overwhelmingly supportive of the gay community and make up most of the state's population, and confusing Target with Wal-Mart, or WhiteTrashDickHeads-R-Us.

It is kind of a stupid move, actually, It doesn't make up for the Emmer donation and it pisses off the anti-marriage people. I am still boycotting Target over the Emmer thing, and I see no reason not to continue. Target doesn't need my filthy gay money, it's made that perfectly clear, and I'm not going to be wooed by some ugly tshirts.

Guest

So what you are saying is that no matter they do, they can never make up for their mistakes? Wow.

E K

Emmer in 2010 and Obama in 2008 had the same position on gay marriage. Does that make everybody who gave $$ to Obama a bigot???

Dr. J

Obama was never anti-gay and hate filled like the Republicans. Obama was wrong in his marriage stance but no gay person thought he was a bigot. Tom Emmer was pals with Bradlee Dean and the rest of the "Christian" right who have proven time and time again they are bigots. Since 2008 Obama has ended don't ask don't tell, stopped the DOJ from proteching the Defense of Marriage Act in courts and endorsed gay marriage so it would seem that voters who wanted a President that would be good for gay rights have been proven correct. Thanks for trying with your false equivalency though. Just a question are you really so stupid you actually believe what you wrote or were you just trolling? Either way you really exposed your poor education but thats probably why you hate Obama and vote for the party of bigots.

Counter Point

Pretty sure they donated to Emmer for tax/business purposes not because he is Anti-Gay.

At the end of the day Target is a for profit corporation and companies tend to act on what is in their best interest economically..

Jeremy B

That argument doesn't really hold water though. Minnesota would be Western Wisconsin, complete with subpar job market, if Emmer had been elected. The Blotter even had an article about this a little over a month ago: http://blogs.citypages.com/blo...

Katie

It would be stupid for a company headquartered in a city that boasts one of the largest gay pride celebrations NOT to put out a line of clothing and accessories like this.

Political though it may be, my guess is that it is actually just a genius marketing move as the Minneapolis Gay Pride celebration draws thousands of visitors to the metro area this summer.