Target making changes after backlash over LGBT-themed children's clothes
MINNEAPOLIS (TND) — American retail giant Target is removing items from certain stores following outrage over LGBT-themed children's merchandise many consider inappropriate for kids, according to several reports.
Critics slammed Target on social media earlier this month after activists discovered a selection of Pride-themed clothes designed for children, including a baby bodysuit featuring both the Pride and transgender flags.
The bodysuit is still available for purchase on Target's website, according to a review by The National Desk (TND) on May 24.
The company cites "significant confrontational behavior" that threatens its workers' safety as the reason for pulling certain LGBT-themed children's merchandise, according to The Washington Post.
A Target insider reportedly told Fox News that Pride-themed items have been relocated in stores located in the Southern U.S. to limit customer frustration.
Target did not immediately return a request for comment from TND Wednesday morning.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have weighed in on the matter. Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., accused Target of "selling out the LGBTQ+ community" in a tweet late Tuesday. Republicans responded quickly, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., telling Newsom parents "don’t want their children forcefully exposed to the radical side of pride."
The backlash comes amid nationwide concern over children's exposure to sexual themes and topics. Outraged parents have repeatedly taken to school board meetings to protest such content being available to children in public schools.
The issue has become a significant point of contention on the political stage, particularly as it pertains to gender transition procedures for minors. Several GOP presidential hopefuls, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla, have taken hardline stances against such procedures.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has largely taken the opposite approach. U.S. Assistant Health Secretary Rachel Levine, who is a transgender woman, recently reaffirmed the Biden administration's commitment to "gender-affirming care" for minors, calling it "medically necessary, safe, and effective."
READ MORE | Rachel Levine says Biden admin backs gender change therapies for kids
Gender-affirming care can include services such as hormone replacement therapy and "surgery on genitals or reproductive organs," according to the federal government.
