By Steve Roth
Gays and lesbians in America, and their friends and allies, are not happy with Target.
In late July of this year, retail giant Target Corporation made a $150,000 contribution to Minnesota Forward, a political action committee that supports Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, an opponent of gay marriage and gay rights.
Minnesota-based Target eventually apologized for the contribution, and its CEO Gregg Steinhafel assured employees that the retailer’s support of the gay community was “unwavering.” In an e-mail to employees, he said Target’s political donations were intended to support business objectives such as job creation and economic growth. He said that “Target’s support of the [gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender] community is unwavering, and inclusiveness remains a core value of our company.”