Seven Republican attorneys general have sent a letter to retail giant Target warning that their Pride Month showings may have violated state laws that “protect children from harmful content designed to sexualize them and prohibit gender reassignment of children.”
The letter was written by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and signed by his counterparts from Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and South Carolina.
“As our states’ chief legal officers, we are charged with enforcing state laws that protect children and protect the rights of parents,” the letter said. “State laws protecting children penalize the ‘sale or distribution . . . of obscene things.’ A case is considered “obscene” if “the predominant theme of the case . . . appeals to the lustful interest in sex,” including “material harmful to minors.” Indiana, as well as other states, have passed laws to protect children from harmful content designed to sexualize them and to prohibit gender reassignment of children.”
In light of these responsibilities, the letter continued: “We wish to express our concern about Target’s recent ‘Pride’ campaign. During this campaign, Target deliberately marketed and sold LGBTQIA+ promotional products to families and young children as part of a comprehensive effort to promote gender and sexual identity among children.”
“This year, Target reportedly promoted and sold products in our states, including LGBT-themed rompers, bibs, and overalls, t-shirts labeled ‘Girls Gays Theys;’ ‘Pride Adult Drag Queen Katya’ (representing a male dressed in female ‘drag’); and girls’ swimsuits with a “crease-friendly construction” and “extra crotch coverage” for male genitalia,” Rokita continued. “Target also included merchandise from the self-proclaimed ‘Satanist-Inspired’ brand Abprallen, which is known for designs that glorify violence. These designs include the phrases “We Bash Back” with a heart-shaped mace in the trans flag colors, “Transphobe Collector” with a skull, and “Homophobe Headrest” with skulls next to a pastel colored guillotine. Target also sold products with anti-Christian designs, such as pentagrams, horned skulls, and other satanic products. One such design was the phrase ‘Satan respects pronouns’ with a horned ram representing Baphomet – a half-man, half-beast, hermaphrodite worshiped by the occult.”
My friend saw proud displays for their target. @Goal markets rainbow flags and transgender shirts for children. Target has “Busy Thinking About Girls” shirts for women. Target STILL sells accessories from Satanic Designer Erik Carnell in the shop 🚨#TargetBoycott pic.twitter.com/NmyO4QzqiG
— Chief Trumpster (@ChiefTrumpster) May 30, 2023
The letter noted that Target is funding an organization called GLSEN (pronounced “glisten”), which “provides resources to activists with the goal of undermining the constitutional and legal rights of parents by supporting ‘secret gender transitions for children’ and public schools to “withhold any information that may reveal a student’s gender identity to others, including [to] parents or guardians.’”
Rokita wrote that the Pride displays, coupled with support for GLSEN, “raise concerns under our states’ child protection and parental rights laws, as well as against our states’ economic interests as shareholders of Target.”
After news of Target’s Pride campaign went viral, a conservative boycott caused the company’s stock prices to plummet 16 percent. The company has already lost $12 billion in market value.
The letter explained that “losses of this magnitude – caused by isolating Target’s core customers – raise concerns that Target’s board of directors and management may have acted negligently. Further evidence suggests that Target’s leadership may have acted on collateral interests.
“Target’s management has no obligation to fill stores with objectionable goods, let alone approve them at the behest of radical activists or place them on conspicuous displays,” the letter reads. “However, Target’s management has fiduciary obligations to its shareholders to manage the company prudently and to act loyally in the best interest of the company. Target’s board and its management may not legitimately dilute their fiduciary duties to accommodate the board’s (or left-wing activists’) desire to force controversial social or political agendas on families and children at the expense of the target’s hard-won goodwill. company and against its interests. ”