Target doesn’t shy away from controversy with sale of ‘Pride Nutcracker’

CNA Staff, Nov 17, 2023 / 17:40 pm

The retail giant Target is once again at the center of controversy for another LGBTQ+ product: a “Pride Christmas Nutcracker Figure.”

Target has been the subject of a national boycott because of its “pride collection,” likely contributing to declining sales for the last two fiscal quarters.

“Bring uplifting flair to your holiday decor with this Pride Nutcracker Figurine from Wondershop™,” a description of the product says. 

“This charming nutcracker figurine with a light purple beard and hair wears a blue and white jacket with golden trim and rainbow lapels, black and blue dress pants, and a rainbow hat, and it also holds a Pride flag in hand,” it says. 

The ornament holds a “progress” pride flag, which features white, pink, and blue stripes representing transgender people. Black and brown stripes represent marginalized people with black or brown skin color.

Conservative and Christian commentators began calling for boycotts following news of Target’s pride merchandise and partnership in May. Calls for a boycott have continued by commentators and online since then. 

Some commentators and social media posts criticized Target because of the nutcracker figure, which has been sold in the past, according to Queer News Tonight.

Target waded into controversy in May after it promoted adult women’s-style swimwear intended to help transgender-identifying men conceal their genitals as well as a children’s swim skirt with a tag describing itself as fit for “multiple body types and gender expressions.”

But part of the anger toward Target was stoked by its partnership with a U.K.-based designer who creates items with Satanic imagery. 

Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev were also the subject of a boycott this year after the company announced a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April.

“All Christians and religious need to boycott Target. We need to send a message to these woke companies that choose evil as their marketing tactic. It’s just sick,” said conservative media personality Mercedes Schlapp.

In May, Target released a statement saying that there have been threats made to its staff since releasing its Pride Month collection. 

The retailer said that it would be removing certain items “that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.”

“Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year,” that statement said. 

NBC News reported in May that in some stores in the South, pride displays were moved to less visible areas of the shopping center. 

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Target said that comparable sales declined 5.4% in the second quarter. The company said this month that in its third quarter, comparable sales declined 4.9%. 

Target’s stock has taken a significant hit since May, but it had a jump of about 20% over the past five days.

Following its decline in sales during its second quarter, Target CEO Brian Cornell told investors that the financial hit was due to both inflation and “negative guest reaction to our Pride collection,” according to Newsweek.

Target says it has been executing a gay pride agenda for over a decade. The company has published a “Pride Manifesto,” a video that celebrates homosexual relationships and shows couples of the same sex kissing, embracing, and in marriage ceremonies.

Just last year, Target said it would be celebrating Pride Month during the month of June but that the celebration would go “all year long.”