Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his newly appointed Attorney General, James Uthmeier, are suing Target. They are claiming the company misled investors about the financial risks of its LGBTQ Pride and DEI initiatives. The lawsuit, filed this week in Fort Myers, alleges Target’s 2023 Pride Month collection led to consumer backlash, wiping out $25 billion in market value. Uthmeier said,
“Corporations that push radical leftist ideology at the expense of financial returns jeopardize the retirement security of Florida’s first responders and teachers.”
Target had scaled back LGBTQ merchandise and DEI initiatives after right-wing boycotts, prompting backlash from longtime partners like Twin Cities Pride. Robert Keston, executive director of the Stonewall Museum, criticized DeSantis’ move on the Target lawsuit, saying,
“It is surprising that people who take advantage of the worst of political opportunities to further their own goals would misstep again. Going against the community in general cost him his shot for the presidency. Trump put a couple of gay men in his cabinet and in high offices. He targets select elements, DeSantis paints with a big brush and gets big pushback. It is an act of desperation and that will cause us and our friends a bit of pain, but it should hurt him more in the long run. Just stupid politics. Surprisingly he doesn’t understand why Trump’s team is “successful” and he is not.”
The lawsuit follows previous shareholder suits, with the City of Riviera Beach police pension fund also challenging Target’s practices. Queer activists summarize the lawsuit as designed to scare corporate support of the LGBTQ community.
