# With friends like these... (Liberal corporations, their support of LGBT, and "cancel culture") **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 21, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362 "2023-07-21T20:19:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/1 "2023-07-21T20:19:00Z")
I didn’t realize this until I read it just now, but you know how Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney are having it out over the Don’t Say Gay Bill? Disney didn’t object to it until after the bill had passed. Bud Light made a customized single can for a transgender influencer and were all like “Psych, my bad” when conservatives started boycotting. Target made a Pride section in some of their stores and when they got angry and even violent pushback, retreated with their tails tucked between their legs. I’m sensing a pattern here. Look, if you’re going to show support to LGBT people, then fucking do it, corporations. Don’t let the slightest bit of pushback turn you around. It would be better for you to not even bother. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/2 "2023-07-21T20:20:56Z")
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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/3 "2023-07-21T20:22:11Z")
Please contact the Moderators if you want us to move this thread into the Pit. It is not a P&E thread but it is indeed a rant. _(That isn’t a bad thing, it just doesn’t belong in P&E)._ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/4 "2023-07-21T23:10:35Z")
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**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/5 "2023-07-21T23:38:57Z")
Curious why you call them “liberal” corporations. Is there any such thing as a liberal corporation? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/6 "2023-07-21T23:40:47Z")
As opposed to Chick-Fil A or Hobby Lobby at least? ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/7 "2023-07-21T23:42:59Z")
Didn’t know putting marketing and PR ahead of ideology was a liberal thing. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/8 "2023-07-22T00:44:10Z")
OP, I read that Target was concerned about the safety and well being of the store employees after Republican psychos started making threats. Place your ire where it belongs, if you’d be so kind. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/9 "2023-07-22T00:45:01Z")
Outside of the US, “liberal” usually connotes a commitment to capitalism, so in that sense, they are all “liberal,” with variations on a theme ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/10 "2023-07-22T00:56:31Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > OP, I read that Target was concerned about the safety and well being of the store employees after Republican psychos started making threats. Same. I couldn’t really blame Target. Literally putting your employees’ lives in danger for the sake of a marketing campaign would be more worthy of a Pitting. It sucks that they had to make the changes they did, and caved to domestic terrorists, but it was still the right call. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/11 "2023-07-22T02:56:27Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > Outside of the US, “liberal” usually connotes a commitment to capitalism, so in that sense, they are all “liberal,” with variations on a theme Good point.was taking it to mean centre-left as they use the term in the US. Around here we’d call them neo-liberal corporations. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/12 "2023-07-22T03:32:48Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > As opposed to Chick-Fil A or Hobby Lobby at least? Haha, did you see that even [Chick-fil A is a target](https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/dei-chick-fil-a-vice-president-social-media) of anti wokeness? But, ya, I tend to agree with the OP. If you’re taking a stand, take a real stand. (Exception when there are real threats of violence toward public facing employees like Target.) Bud Light was perhaps the worst hypocrite that alienated all sides. Bud sent a _single_ customized can to a trans blogger. And that can probably just a was only a customized shrink sleeve wrapping on a generic blank aluminum can. Bud must send out thousands of these. Here’s a blog post that explains how [Bud made 200,000 unique cans](https://www.printindustry.com/blog/2015/12/custom-printing-mass-customization-of-bud-light-cans-and-diet-coke-bottles/) for the 2015 Mad Decent Block Party music festival events. Rather than even attempting at “get real” messaging, Bud took the total capitulation route and became an enabler of vocal minority bigots. I get that companies and shareholders in general don’t want to get caught up in politics or culture wars, and can go at great lengths to avoid that. However, sometimes it’s just part of the DNA of the employees and values that make a company tick. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/13 "2023-07-22T14:59:23Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Target made a Pride section in some of their stores and when they got angry and even violent pushback, retreated with their tails tucked between their legs. Target’s had a Pride section in the front of the clothing dept for years. Did they just add it in some of the shithole states and that’s why it’s now an issue? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/14 "2023-07-22T15:51:23Z")
Or the bigots needed a new anti-wokeness target (heh) and said, hey, here’s an easy one! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/15 "2023-07-22T16:24:19Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Target’s had a Pride section in the front of the clothing dept for years. They introduce new products each year, and this month received threats over it. > **[Target removing some LGBTQ merchandise following customer backlash](https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/target-remove-some-lbgtq-merchandise-after-facing-customer-backlash-2023-05-23/)** > > Target, which rolled out its Pride Collection at the start of May, is pulling some products from its stores after facing customer backlash, saying it was acting to protect employee safety, the company told Reuters on Tuesday. > “Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work,” Target said in a statement. > Target has been celebrating Pride Month for more than a decade. But this year’s collection has led to an increase in confrontations between customers and employees and incidents of Pride merchandise being thrown on the floor, Target spokesperson Kayla Castaneda said. There were also specific new products people objected to. > While various Pride Collection products are under review, the only ones now being removed are the LGBTQ brand Abprallen, which has come under scrutiny for its association with British designer Erik Carnell. > > Carnell has faced social media backlash for designing merchandise with images of pentagrams, horned skulls and other Satanic products. > Screenshots and posts on social media show that Target previously sold a $25 slogan sweater with the words “cure transphobia not trans people” and an $18 “too queer for here” tote bag. > > Target is also reviewing certain transgender swimsuits and children’s merchandise, Castaneda said, but no decision on those products has yet been made. > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Did they just add it in some of the shithole states and that’s why it’s now an issue? They **are** facing bigger problems in the south, to nobody’s surprise. > A Fox News [report](https://www.foxnews.com/media/target-holds-emergency-meeting-lgbtq-pride-merchandise-stores-avoid-bud-light-situation) earlier on Tuesday said that some Target stores in Southern states were shifting Pride-related merchandise away from the front of stores. An employee at a Target store in Arkansas told Reuters that they had shifted Pride-related swimsuits deeper into the store. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/16 "2023-07-22T16:28:39Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Same. I couldn’t really blame Target. Literally putting your employees’ lives in danger for the sake of a marketing campaign would be more worthy of a Pitting. I can understand caving to terrorists, but it puts more people in greater danger than standing up to them does. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/17 "2023-07-22T16:36:48Z")
I worked in retail for years. You get treated like a disposable nobody. If on top of that, they took a stand that literally put my life in danger…? That would be extra shitty. I repeat, they made the right decision. Exploitation of low wage retail workers is enough of a problem without adding to it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/18 "2023-07-22T16:53:34Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > If on top of that, they took a stand that literally put my life in danger…? That would be extra shitty. A stand like “If you want to change our policies, just get violent; that works” is a stand that literally puts your life in danger. And the lives of lots of other people. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/19 "2023-07-22T18:19:06Z")
We’ll see if they keep getting threats. If so, you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362/20 "2023-07-22T18:22:47Z")
We had people violently opposed to wearing a mask, social distancing and observing capacity limits. They would threaten and physically push (at least) employees and other customers. Our security folks were afraid of them, particularly because the police were generally on the assholes side. And of course our security folks have to be very careful about cultivating good relations with the police. It’s a no win situation for us. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/with-friends-like-these-liberal-corporations-their-support-of-lgbt-and-cancel-culture/987362.md?page=2)