Prairie State Wire

Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D-Ill.) urged the CEO of Target Corporation to be “mindful of its obligations” when responding to “backlash” against the retail chain’s line of so-called “Pride” merchandise.

Raoul joined 14 other state attorney general in sending a letter to Brian C. Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target Corporation.

“All our states have laws protecting against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in places of public accommodation like Target stores,” said the letter. “While these laws certainly do not create a legal obligation for retailers to offer any particular merchandise or create any particular displays, they do demand that customers be treated equally.”

“In this context, we urge Target to be mindful of its obligations under these laws as it makes decisions as to how to respond to backlash against its Pride merchandise,” the letter said.”

The NY Post reported that the Target “collection includes sweatshirts and tote bags with messages that include ‘live laugh lesbian,’ ‘cure transphobia not trans people,’ ‘too queer for here,’ and ‘we belong everywhere.’” 

Business Insider reported on May 23 that the retail chain was “significantly expanding its controversial decision to pull Pride merchandise from its shelves.” 

The company that produces the apparel for Target is “Abprallen, a brand out of the United Kingdom and headed by a self-proclaimed gay, transgender man known as Erik, per the website,” reported The Washington Examiner. 

“Among Abprallen's other apparel are images of pentagrams, horned skulls, and references to devils,” said the report.

Joining Raoul in signing the letter were attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.