Former Target vice chairman Gerald Storch says it will be a very challenging holiday season on Maria Bartiromos Wall Street.
Target isn’t waiting until Pride month in June to unveil new LGTBQ merchandise and has an assortment of Christmas-themed products available for the holiday season.
Target’s website lists a “Pride Christmas Nutcracker Figure,” and a “Fabriché Pride Santa” where Saint Nicholas is holding the rainbow flag symbol of the LGBTQ community. The big box retailer has the items for sale on its website despite widespread backlash to Pride merchandise earlier this year.
Target has featured substantial June Pride month displays on an annual basis, but this year’s merchandise caused problems before the celebration of LGBTQ even began when women’s style swimsuits that advertise “tuck-friendly construction” to hide male genitalia went viral in May.
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Target’s website is selling a “Pride Christmas Nutcracker Figure” on the heels of backlash from June’s Pride display.
Target’s website is selling a “Fabriché Pride Santa.” (Target/Screengrab)
The “tuck” bathing suits were placed in colorful Pride sections, often at the front of the store, surrounded by other items, many of which were for children.
Target also carried mugs that said “gender fluid,” onesies and rompers for newborn babies, a variety of adult clothing with slogans such as “Super Queer,” party supplies, home decor, multiple books, a “Grow At Your Own Pace” saucer planter and other items.
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After outrage erupted in some pockets of the right, some stores moved the LGBTQ Pride merchandise away from the front of their locations while other items were pulled altogether. The company has maintained that changes were made because of safety concerns for employees.
At the time, a Target insider told Fox News Digital that the retail juggernaut was taking steps to avoid a “Bud Light situation.”
Target saw its stock drop during the controversy.
A Target store. (Reuters / Reuters)
Conservatives blasted Target for selling Pride swimsuits boasting “tuck-friendly construction” and “extra crotch coverage,” presumably to accommodate male genitalia, even if they are made in an otherwise female style. (Brian Flood/Fox News / Fox News)
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Target CEO Brian Cornell recently appeared on CNBC to discuss declining sales, particularly following protests and critiques of its Pride merchandise.
During the interview, host Becky Quick told Cornell that people felt there were “transgender bathing suits that are being targeted and market to kids” and that Target worked with a designer who was a “devil worshiper.”
Cornell responded, “You and I both know, those weren’t true,” prompting Consumers’ Research executive director Will Hild to accuse him of lying.
“He just flat out lies about what Target did,” Hild told Fox News Digital.
Target worked with the U.K.-based brand Abprallen for Pride Month. The brand has displayed merchandise with messages such as “Satan respects pronouns,” and the designer, Erik Carnell, has espoused Satanic beliefs. As for the women’s style swimsuits that advertise “tuck-friendly construction,” they did not come in children’s sizes but some conservatives objected to them being displayed next to items for children.
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Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Fox News’ Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.
