Prairie State Wire

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 14 state attorneys general, is today calling on Target to support inclusivity and to reject anti-LGBTQ+ hate, intimidation and discrimination.

Raoul and fellow attorneys general sent a letter to Target during Pride Month in response to Target’s recent decision to remove certain Pride-related merchandise from its stores. This decision came amid an increasing trend of harassment, hate and politically-motivated attacks on LGBTQ+ people. In the letter, Raoul and the attorneys general expressed their commitment to protecting the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and their concern regarding Target’s recent decision.

“Discrimination and harassment against LGBTQ+ people have no place in our society. Members of the LGBTQ+ community deserve to feel safe and welcome in Illinois and beyond our state’s borders,” Raoul said. “During Pride Month and throughout the year, I urge businesses to work with local law enforcement to ensure staff members and customers are safe from LGBTQ+ harassment and vandalism – without sending a message that anti-LGBTQ+ bullying will be successful.”

The letter explains the attorneys general are concerned that Target’s decision to remove certain Pride merchandise sends the wrong message to LGBTQ+ people and anti-LGBTQ+ bullies alike. While Target’s desire to protect its staff and customers safe from anti-LGBTQ+ harassment, vandalism and other criminal acts is commendable, removing Pride merchandise signals that anti-LGBTQ+ bullying works – even on the biggest corporations in America.

This is the latest in Raoul’s efforts to ensure LGBTQ+ people in Illinois can count on state-level protections against discrimination and harassment, including the Illinois Human Rights Act. In 2022, Raoul and Gov. JB Pritzker addressed public officials’ safety concerns over anti-LGBTQ+ violence and harassment in a letter to Illinois public officials. Since becoming Attorney General, Raoul has also partnered with other attorneys general to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and to defend against and call out anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

Raoul filed the letter along with attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Original source can be found here.