Target Accused of Exploiting LGBTQ Community by Pride Clothing Designer
A satanic transgender designer, Erik Carnell, who created merchandise for Target’s Pride clothing campaign, warns that the retail giant and Budlight are exploiting the LGBTQ community by practicing “rainbow capitalism.” The British designer accuses Target of promoting Pride Month for sheer profit and folding under pressure after backlash.
Target has been known for supporting Pride Month by selling LGBTQ-related goods. However, featuring a Pride section at the front of each store nationwide caused widespread disapproval, leading to a boycott. As a result, Target removed some of its Pride items from shelves, including the controversial products designed by Carnell.
Despite only removing Carnell’s Abprallen products from stores and online, the designer claims that Target has yet to contact him. He has been inundated with hate mail and death messages since the boycott against the retail giant. Target CEO Brian Cornell sent a company-wide memo on May 24, expressing support for the LGBTQ community and acknowledging the difficulty of removing the merchandise.
Carnell had previously boasted on Instagram about how his designs would stir up controversy and anger the public. The designer, who describes himself as “Satan-loving,” also models t-shirts with statements like “Satan respects pronouns” and wears BDSM-style horns. Carnell’s Etsy store description reads, “Satan loves you and respects who you are. You’re important and valuable in this world and you deserve to treat yourself with love and respect.”
Target continues to face backlash after the LGBTQ products for children incensed customers across the nation, with the company’s market value falling over $13 billion. Shares have reached a new 52-week low of $130.93 per share, resulting in the stock’s longest losing streak since November 2018.
In conclusion, Target’s attempt to support Pride Month and the LGBTQ community through merchandising has backfired, with even the merchandise designer accusing the company of exploiting the community for profit. With customers outraged and the market value plummeting, the retail giant is left with the challenge of rebuilding trust and support.
