Who Can Solve the Latest Target/Pride Controversy? Parents Can

We did it again, Montana.

We made national news for some extremist’s wild, bigoted antics. One request: Could we stop?

Okay, here’s what went down. On Thursday, a trans couple was shopping in the Pride section of Target when a man approached them and said, “Enjoy it while you can.”

What was it, exactly? Maybe he meant their very existence. Montana passed some of the harshest and most discriminatory laws against trans, non-binary, and intersex individuals in the country. SB 458, in particular, which was signed by Governor Greg Gianforte this week, completely writes trans people out of Montana law. That means that if a crime is committed against a trans person, the perpetrator is most likely to be able get away with it because the trans person doesn’t technically exist. LGBT-identifying people are 9 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than straight cisgender people. And who can forget that Montana is also the state that kicked Rep. Zooey Zephyr, of Missoula, out of the House chambers after she said lawmakers would have blood on their hands for passing these laws? Erasure is the goal. The cruelty is the point.

Maybe he was telling the couple to enjoy the shopping area itself while they could. He was probably sent there by right-wing internet troll and Transphobe of the Year Matt Walsh, who has been encouraging his followers to boycott and harass Target to “make them pay dearly” and “claim one scalp and move onto the next.” Then he made this vaguely threatening Tweet about looking forward to Pride and having “big plans.”

Walsh is unequivocally inciting violence against queer people.

Across the country, fully grown adults have been ruining Pride product displays, throwing merchandise on the ground, and harassing employees. Alas, that is what happened in Missoula. After aiming his aggressive behavior toward the trans couple, the man threw a bunch of Pride clothes to the floor. He was confronted by an employee, who escorted him from the area.

Sadly, the temper tantrums seem to be working in their favor. Hours after the incident, Missoula mom Emily Baker hit up Target to check out their Pride section, only to find it drastically reduced.

@emilybaker11111 Quick tour of our local Target. Do Better! We need to be louder than the bigots. Contact Target today! #gaypride #lgbt #lgbtqia #missoula #allyship #dobetter @target @Target for all #gaypride2023 ♬ original sound - Emily Baker

The store’s reaction echos what has been happening across the country — with employees quietly removing merchandise and thinning out the Pride section.

“I understand Target’s concern because I live it every day. We live it every day. But that’s not allyship. That’s not acceptable. Do better.”

Baker then goes on a walk throughout the Pride section, she said, “This has been thinned out. It’s not okay. All because one man threw a hissy fit.” Baker encourages others to call Target’s Corporate Office to express disappointment in the decision to remove items.

As parents, it’s our job to stand firm in our convictions and define the culture and the values of a family. We don’t cave into tantrums and demands because we know that doing so ultimately hurts everyone. In fact, we’ve received most of our training AT TARGET, pulling our screaming children away from the toy section when they started throwing tantrums. We teach our kids that kicking, screaming, and damaging property isn't how you get what you want.

Maybe Target has a thing or two to learn from us.