After receiving negative customer feedback, Target said on Tuesday that it would remove select LGBTQ-friendly children’s items from its stores.
According to the company, the main reason for the “adjustment” before Pride Month was that customers were getting into violent altercations with employees.
“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” a Target spokesperson said, according to CNN. ”Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.”
It’s unclear if Target will be removing its “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for trans women.
Customers took to social media to express outrage over the company’s sale of newborn and kid-sized rainbow-colored onesies and bathing suits with “extra crotch coverage.”
According to a company representative, the “tuck-friendly” swimsuits are exclusively available in adult sizes and are not part of the kids’ collection.
T-shirts with the slogans “Trans people will always exist” and “Pride Adult Drag Queen ‘Katya'” are among the other kid’s products that have offended conservatives. As well as “Girls Gays Theys.”
“The criticism has been widespread,” said Target spokesperson Kayla Castaneda. “Folks are reaching out with feedback .. and while some are sharing it with constructive criticism, they disagree with product decisions that we made.”
