It’s Christmas time at Target, which means Pride nutcrackers, Santa figurines waving rainbow flags, “Love is Love” tree ornaments, and conservative boycotts.
Calls to ring in the season with another consumer embargo broke out following reports about Target’s Christmas Pride line, which includes at least two nutcrackers dressed in rainbow garb, one holding the Progress Pride flag, the other sporting a “love is love” staff.
Most of the merchandise is available online only. That includes the 10-inch Fabriche Santa figure designed by Kurt Adler wearing rainbow suspenders, a heart-shaped belt buckle, and a “Love is Love” T-shirt.
The online catalog also features Pride rainbow Christmas ornaments, rainbow wrapping paper, and a Pride Christmas Snow Globe with a rainbow heart and the “love is love” insignia.
The response? “Tis the Season for boycotting Target!” declared the conservative Media Research Center.
Consumers’ Research issued a Woke Alert for Black Friday and Cyber Monday that includes Target, saying that the retailer “continues to support woke policies, even after immense backlash for their pride month line, which included LGBTQ+ merchandise geared toward children, and even babies.”
Critics asked why Target would redouble its commitment to LGBTQ merchandise after the Pride Month debacle in June over items such as a “tuck-friendly” women’s bathing suit for male customers who identify as female.
The uproar prompted a grassroots consumer boycott that saw Target’s market capitalization lose more than $15 billion and its sales drop for two consecutive quarters.
The retailer’s stock price plummeted from $160 per share in late May to $105 in October before rallying earlier this month, closing Tuesday at $130.80.
“I don’t know why they think cramming this stuff down our throats is a good thing, because it’s not,” said conservative radio host Joe Pags on TikTok.
End Wokeness sounded the alarm last week by publishing photos on X showing shelves stocked with Pride nutcrackers as well as figurines of a Black Santa in a wheelchair, which are also sold in stores.
“Target outdid itself this year for Christmas,” said End Wokeness.
Target outdid itself this year for Christmas pic.twitter.com/F0YpLmOrkt
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 15, 2023
The boycott calls were well underway when Erik Thompson announced on Instagram that he was hired to serve as Target’s “Senior LGBTQIA+ Segmentation Strategist & Pride Lead,” as he described it on his Instagram account, gaycruella.
“Honored to get to start a new body of work and lead Target’s LGBTQIA+ multicultural merchandising strategy and Pride businesses for the company and the LGBTQIA+ & Allied communities across the the [sic] nation,” said Mr. Thompson on Instagram.
“Time to whip out the Glitter & Hellfire,” he added, as shown on screenshots posted by Libs of Tiktok.
Mr. Thompson’s Instagram account is now private.
The Washington Times has reached out to Target for comment.
Those defending the Christmas Pride line included Joy Behar of ABC’s “The View,” who touched off a holiday feud with Fox News host Jesse Watters.
After Mr. Watters mocked the nutcracker on his show, Ms. Behar held up a nutcracker and said that “he can put his nut in there and squeeze it.”
Mr. Watters said he would file a report and possibly seek a restraining order against Ms. Behar.
Some of the merchandise isn’t new, according to the Advocate, which said that “Target has been selling the Progress Pride nutcracker for several years now.”
For those looking for other politically themed merchandise, Target also offers a snowflake Christmas ornament with the word “Liberal.”
“Are You A Liberal Snowflake? Do You Have A Liberal Snowflake In Your Family? ’Tis The Season To Be Loud And Proud About It,” said the retailer’s online blurb.
The Media Research Center said it searched for but could not find an ornament with the word “Conservative.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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