American retailer Target has provoked a backlash after launching a new range of “woke” Christmas decorations that seek to promote radical gender ideology.
Target is apparently doubling down on its acceptance of far-left gender theory despite already suffering the ill fate of the “get woke, go broke” mantra.
The company is currently battling a second straight negative sales report following backlash over its Pride-themed children’s products earlier this year.
Target reportedly selected a man named Erik Thompson as its Senior LGBTQIA+ Segmentation Strategist and Pride Lead.
Thompson’s role was revealed in a post he shared on Instagram that was flagged by the popular Twitter/X account Libs of TikTok.
Going by the name “gaycruella” on the social media platform, Thompson shared with followers that he was “honored” to accept the role.
“Time to whip out the Glitter & Hellfire flamethrowers and rip that old world to shreds darlings,” the self-described Target corporate employee shared.
“Let’s flip that script and rewrite that narrative.
“This time for ~ALL Guests, ALL Humans & ALL Hearts.”
A post featuring Thompson’s announcement was shared on X.
The viral X post prompted many to react to the news on the original Instragram post.
One commenter asked, “lol you gonna make Targets sales tank too?”
Thompson responded ro the comment, saying: “Yes.
“Yes I will make sales tank.”
Remember when @Target sold tucking swimwear for kids and their sales dropped, stock plunged, and they were sued by shareholders?
Apparently they didn’t learn their lesson cuz they just hired an LGBTQ activist to lead their “LGBTQIA+ multicultural merchandising strategy and pride… pic.twitter.com/wDZW7hshKi
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 15, 2023
Thompson’s LinkedIn profile shows him as working for Target since June 2014.
During his tenure, he previously served the company as a business analyst and buyer.
In 2013, he was also an executive intern at Target.
Thompson listed his new role as becoming active in November 2023.
His LinkedIn bio says:
“On a mission to lead in the effort of working to flip the script and rewrite the narrative of CPG retail industries to better serve all consumer segments and thoughtfully & authentically cater to *ALL guests, ALL humans, & ALL hearts* who enter our stores and across the nation.”
In Target’s third quarter — a three-month period that ended October 28 — the company’s sales plummeted 4.9 percent.
This drop followed a 5.4% decline in the second quarter.
The second quarter plunge was Target’s first quarterly sales drop in six years, CNN reported.
Both of the grim earnings reports came after Target faced backlash over its Pride Month products that targeted children.
Target Chief Executive Brian Cornell said the sales trends “have clearly been tougher than we expected this year, and we are firmly focused on getting back to growth,” while discussing the third quarter earnings report on a call with reporters, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Among Target’s Pride-themed products featured on store shelves over the summer was a children’s swimsuit with a tag reading “thoughtfully fit on multiple body types and gender expressions.”
Stores were also selling LGBTQ-themed books for kids such as “The Pronoun Book” and “Bye Bye Binary.”
The retail giant also featured an adult “Pride” collection, which included “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for men.
The swimsuits were supposedly designed for men, who claim to be “women,” to tuck their genitals.
Target was also selling a t-shirt with the words “Queer Queer Queer Queer,” and a hoodie reading “Not A Phase.”
The company came under fire again this week for selling Pride-themed nutcrackers and disabled Santa ornaments.
The popular Twitter/X account End Wokeness shared images of an ornament of a black Santa Claus in a wheelchair displayed on a Target shelf.
The account also highlighted a Pride nutcracker figurine wearing a Pride-striped hat and holding a “Progress Pride” flag.
The product description encourages buyers to “show your love and support for the LGBTQIA+ community” by displaying this decoration.
The items are also available for sale on Target’s website.
Target outdid itself this year for Christmas pic.twitter.com/F0YpLmOrkt
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 15, 2023
Target isn’t the only company to report drops in sales this year following backlash to marketing campaigns that pushed radical gender theory.
Earlier this month, Anheuser-Busch reported that its revenue in the U.S. was down 13.5% for the third quarter.
The beermaker’s plummeting sales are continuing a trend after Bud Light partnered earlier this year with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
As Black Friday approaches, Target hopes to turn its fledgling year around on the backs of holiday shoppers who will be looking everywhere for the best deals.
However, whether shoppers are willing to return to the retail giant after the Pride Month backlash earlier this year is yet to be seen.
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