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Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise off shelves due to ‘very aggressive behavior’ against staff during backlash

Customers threatened to burn down his stores and attack his staff in the days before Target boss Brian Cornell withdrew his controversial Pride range, he admitted today.

The veteran CEO faced a violent backlash earlier this year over outfits including “wrinkle-friendly” swimsuits and pro-trans T-shirts for kids, as well as a plummeting stock price that wiped $10 billion off the company’s value in just over a week swept away.

But he told CBNC he ordered staff to remove the displays just days before the start of Pride Month in June because the response was becoming dangerous.

“I’ve seen natural disasters, the impact of Covid, the violence that occurred after the murder of George Floyd,” he said.

“But I will tell you that what I saw in May is the first time since I’ve had this job where store team members said, ‘It’s not safe to come to work.’”

Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC that the Pride controversy was the first time his staff told him that 'it's not safe to come to work'

Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC that the Pride controversy was the first time his staff told him that ‘it’s not safe to come to work’

The retailer has been supporting Pride Month for a decade and a curated range was prominently displayed in its stores in the days leading up to June this year

The retailer has been supporting Pride Month for a decade and a curated range was prominently displayed in its stores in the days leading up to June this year

The retailer has been supporting Pride Month for a decade and a curated range was prominently displayed in its stores in the days leading up to June this year

1698961622 900 Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise

1698961622 900 Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise

Some swimsuits that appeared in the Pride Month displays included labels advertising their “crease-friendly construction” and “extra crotch” coverage

“We had to prioritize the safety of our teams.

“And I knew personally that this wasn’t going to be well received. But we had to prioritize the safety of the team.”

The company found itself on the front lines of the country’s culture wars in the spring, as anger grew over companies using their financial power to push social agendas.

The retailer was accused of grooming children with transgender swimwear, books called “bye bye binary” and a handful of items made by a British designer whose slogans include “Satan respects pronouns.”

A store in Layton, Utah, was evacuated after multiple bomb threats and more threats were received by outlets in Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Days later, its Oklahoma City stores were evacuated after managers received an email warning that three bombs had been planted in some of its products.

As the backlash intensified, companies that had embraced LGBT causes pushed back, including Bud Light owner Anheuser-Busch, which cut ties with transsexual influencer Dylan Mulvaney after sales fell by a quarter.

Profits in the US remain almost 30 percent lower than a year ago, the company admitted when it announced its third quarter results on Tuesday.

One of the most controversial items was these adult swim trunks, in the women's section, with 'please-friendly' tags in stores.  It is still sold online

One of the most controversial items was these adult swim trunks, in the women's section, with 'please-friendly' tags in stores.  It is still sold online

One of the most controversial items was these adult swim trunks, in the women’s section, with ‘please-friendly’ tags in stores. It is still sold online

1698961627 692 Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise

1698961627 692 Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise

Target said it decided to pull the items from its shelves because they were “at the center of the most confrontational behavior” — and led to store employees being harassed

The Pride collection also included items for babies and children.  Many of the pieces are decorated with slogans and feature the rainbow colors of the Pride flag

The Pride collection also included items for babies and children.  Many of the pieces are decorated with slogans and feature the rainbow colors of the Pride flag

The Pride collection also included items for babies and children. Many of the pieces are decorated with slogans and feature the rainbow colors of the Pride flag

1698961631 832 Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise

1698961631 832 Target CEO Brian Cornell defends decision to pull Pride merchandise

Other items include kids’ swim skirts made for “all gender expressions” and other swim tops

Cornell said displays were assembled and moved in an effort to defuse the line

Cornell said displays were assembled and moved in an effort to defuse the line

Cornell said displays were assembled and moved in an effort to defuse the line

Target has supported Pride – celebrated throughout the month of June – every year since 2013, with this year’s collection just the latest to prove polarizing.

In 2014, Target publicly supported marriage equality, and the following year 2015 announced that it was ending their policy of dividing certain products, such as toys, by gender.

Target also introduced a gender-neutral line for children, and announced in April 2016 — amid a national debate over bathroom access — that transgender people were free to use whatever bathroom they chose.

Three months later, it responded to the protests by spending $20 million to add private bathrooms to each of its stores.

“I just think these are good business decisions, and it’s the right thing for society, and it’s great for our brand,” Cornell said in May.

“The things we’ve done from a DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion) standpoint add value.

“It helps us drive sales, it creates greater engagement with both our teams and our guests, and those are exactly the right things for our business today.”

Shares that peaked at $1.76 in January had fallen to $1.11 earlier today, wiping $30 billion off the company’s value over the past nine months.

“We’ve made some changes to where the product is located, we’ve curated the assortment and we’ve addressed some of the products that were getting the most attention,” Cornell said today.

‘We’ve been celebrating heritage moments like Pride for over a decade, but we’ve never seen a response like this.

“We said, let’s focus on de-escalating the problem, taking care of our team, celebrating the moment and learning for the future.”

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Target CEO letter to employees defending decision to bring back Pride Collection items in May

Team-

I want to end the day where Kortrijk began: with a note of concern. This was a very difficult day for Target and follows many difficult days of deliberation and decision making.

To our team in Stores: thank you for steadfastly representing our values. No one is better at working through uncomfortable situations in the service of an inclusive guest experience.

What you have seen in recent days has gone far beyond discomfort, and it has been heartbreaking to see what you have had to deal with in our aisles.

We would like to thank our service center team for your patience and professionalism following the high number of angry, abusive and threatening calls. I recognize how difficult and even frightening those interactions can be, and I thank you for the calmness with which you responded to these comments.

To the teams who worked so hard on our plans for Pride – and are now showing incredible agility as we adapt – thank you. Your efforts will ensure that we can still show up and celebrate Pride in meaningful ways.

For the LGBTQIA+ community, one of the most difficult parts of all of this has been considering how the adjustments we are making to reduce these threats to the physical and psychological safety of our team would impact you and your well-being and psychological safety. We stand with you now and will continue to do so – not just during Pride Month, but every day.

Those were the two guiding principles when it came time to take action: do everything we can to keep our team safe, and do everything we can to honor our commitment and connection to the LGBTQIA+ community.

From a multitude of difficult alternatives, we sincerely searched for the best path forward, finding ways to recognize Pride Month while making adjustments to prioritize safety. As always, we are stronger together, and I want you to know that I am committed to doing everything I can, and everything we can as a company, to build a culture of care, empathy, equality and simple civility across the country to support. , in the hope that we will not have to deal with these kinds of painful decisions in the future.

Thank you for the care you have shown to each other, our frontline teams and the LGBTQIA+ community.

B.C

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