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Target is facing backlash for their Pride merchandise yet again. The retailer is selling a range of Christmas decorations this year, which also includes LGBTQ friendly merchandise. This comes in the midst of the organization hiring Erik Thompson as their ‘Senior LGBTQIA+ Segmentation Strategist and Pride Lead.’
On November 15, popular X (formerly known as Twitter) page End Wokeness took to their account to reveal that the organization was selling house décor that included Santas of various ethnicities in wheelchairs and also a soldier carrying the Pride flag and wearing a rainbow hat. At the time of writing this article, the tweet had amassed over 3.3 million views.
Meanwhile, controversial news outlet Libs of TikTok took to their official X account to reveal that Erik Thompson was appointed to lead Target’s “LGBTQIA+ multicultural merchandising strategy and pride businesses.
This is not the first time the U.S. cooperation has garnered backlash for supporting the LGBTQ community. Earlier this year, they were boycotted by conservative consumers for selling Pride Month-themed clothes for children.
They also sold the book Bye Bye, Binary, which is about a newborn baby that refuses to conform to traditional male ideals. This left several parents outraged. At one point, the organization was accused of grooming children.
Now, it seems like Target is facing backlash yet again for their Christmas Pride merchandise.
Erik Thompson has been working with Target for the past nine years
According to his official LinkedIn account, Thompson joined the organization in June 2014 as their Merchandize Planning Business Analysist. Since then, he has taken on several roles, including Senior Business Analyst, Associate Buyer for Men’s Sportswear, and Buyer for Beauty and Cosmetics.
He is now the 'Senior LGBTQIA+ Segmentation Strategist & Pride Lead.' While describing his job in an Instagram post, he wrote:
“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 nation."
While sharing screenshots of how Target was in a dilemma after their past Pride controversies, he wrote online:
“I Want to Make Art, Artie. And I want to Make Trouble”
According to LinkedIn, he has also worked as Mayo Clinic’s marketing analyst for their Innovation Scholars Program.
Erik Thompson attained his Bachelor of Arts degree in business marketing and organization communication from Concordia College. He also studied Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies at Liverpool Hope University.
Speaking about what Pride means to him, Thompson said in a Sigma Beauty interview in June:
“Pride to me means accepting and living your inner true authentic self just the way it is and doing so unashamedly and unapologetically and owning it.”
It remains unclear whether Thompson was in charge of the supposedly controversial Christmas decorations.
“So sick and twisted”: Netizens put Target on blast for Christmas Pride decorations
Several netizens were displeased with the Christmas collection and called for boycotting the retailer.
At the time of writing this article, the retail giant had not addressed the online backlash.
