Florida group puts bullseye on Target over ads on gay-friendly teen show
Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 9:18 am
- 13 Comments
Minnesota-based big box retailer Target is coming under fire from anti-gay groups for commercials it bought during airing of a teen drama on a Nickelodeon offshoot.
Caton’s organization, the Florida Family Association, is an affiliate of the American Family Association, a group the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled an anti-gay hate group. They take issue with advertising Target has bought during the show Degrassi on Nick Teen.
“Target is the only major retailer that is advertising on this irresponsible and shameful show,” wrote David Caton of the Florida Family Association. “This is a point that I will remember when choosing where to shop.”
One Million Moms, another affiliate of the AFA, joined the campaign against Target.
“Upon discovering that Target Corporation is one of the main advertisers during the shameful and inappropriate program Degrassi,” the group wrote. “OMM is disappointed and the retail chain needs to be held accountable. At least three Target advertisements appeared during each episode of Degrassi this past weekend.”
The Florida group also pressured Minnesota-based General Mills in August for advertising on an ABC Family show that had a lesbian character. Caton and the FFA declared victory, but General Mills disputed that and said they didn’t pull any ads over LGBT issues.
Both the FFA and OMM have launched email campaigns to Target headquarters asking them to pull advertising from Teen Nick.
Target found itself at the other end of the issue in the fall of 2010 when it made donations to an independent expenditure committee supporting Republican Tom Emmer for governor. Emmer’s position against LGBT rights sparked a large-scale boycott of the retailer.
The Florida groups are also targeting ads on the network for the Trevor Project, a toll-free hot-line for LGBT teens at risk for suicide, because they say it indoctrinates children.
“I was disappointed to learn that Target is a leading advertiser during a television show that affirms and promotes the homosexual and transgender lifestyles, as well as other inappropriate behavior to an audience that is almost exclusively young teens and children,” wrote Caton. “It was equally concerning that Target advertised three times during the October 17, 2011, 9:30 p.m.“Beat It” episode of Degrassi, when Teen Nick aired a promotion for TheTrevorHelpline.org.”
According to the Trevor Project, the group is the “leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.”
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter13 Comments
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 9:30 am
what the right wingers want it THEIR CHRISTIAN SHARIA LAW IN THIS COUNTRY…….Here’s a clue…don’t like the show..Dont watch it, Dont like the song – Dont listen to it……. no one is forcing anyone to watch anything……its obviously Bothering the Wackjob Rightwing- …but hey, IF the show wasnt popular – it wouldnt be on…get it? Sooo…right wing weirdos….STFU
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 9:47 am
I suppose these groups don’t want LGBT youth to find the hotline so they will kill themselves and thus reduce the LGBT population.
And heaven forbid that non LGBT youth would see programming that reflects LGBT in a positive situation. That might people feel like they can’t bully or ostracize LGBT youth.
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 10:19 am
Awesome – now I can finally go back to Target again! Surely right-wing Christian boycotts cancel out the gay boycotts?
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 11:50 am
Target appears to have contracted some sort of schizophrenia. First, they give money to an anti-LGBT gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota. Then they place ads on a pro-gay kids television show. Make up your mind, Target: are you pro-gay or anti-gay?
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 12:17 pm
I doubt Target is pro or anti anything. Someone there thought the overall business environment in Minnesota would be better served by a GOP governor. That potential governor’s stance on social issues was irrelevant to the decision where to invest money. Someone else there decided that advertising to a teen market segment on a very popular television network was a good idea. The actual content of the program was probably not a consideration, just the market demographics of an audience of at least a minimum size within a certain age bracket and having a disposable income. The department that makes political contributions is not the marketing department that makes advertising decisions.
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
There’s = a contraction for “there is.”
They’re = a contraction for “they are.”
Their = a possessive form, as in, “I like their marketing decisions, but not their political contributions.”
There = place, destination, as in, “If I decide to shop at Target, I will go there and buy a Degrassi video.”
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 2:13 pm
john george
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 12:39 pm
theirs no such thing as gays their just plain perverts and deserve no dam rights at all! you may call me anything you want but the truth is the truth! theirs only 1, in gods eyes that counts and thats man and woman! god destroyed 2 cities because of perverts and it will happen again because he is coming! they should be treated as perverts because thats what they are!
LOL….Can You say BRAINWASHED??????? LOL yea, your mythical Zues,ISIS…I mean Gawd is gonna come down to earth…..cause the gays? LOL WOW..Please run, don’t walk to the nearest therapist.
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 2:21 pm
Ohh..and Gays and Lesbians – Just so your clear…..john george
thinks his Gawd Loves him…cause he Muff Dives, and Pounds Muff……..so..THAT in turn makes him better then you………..(ONLY his his mind)
Poor John George…..Mental Illness is so sad.
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 6:46 pm
Um. Isn’t it economic terrorism if the gays and/or their allies suggest a boycott of a company? I seem to recall some “pro” Christian screaming when a boycott of Chick-Fil-A or whatever the heck it’s called was suggested. Why the disconnect? Is it because only Christian rights matter? Really? Be honest now you hypocrites.
Comment posted October 27, 2011 @ 11:01 pm
Sounds like john George and his minister escaped from the big house made famous in the movie “one flew over the cuckoos nest”
Or is he one of the westboro baptist church psychopaths under a different name.
there was a “mary waterton” who posted all kinds of hateful comments on the web. A couple of the BS things “she” said were word for word identical to the WBC protest at Fr. Meade in Md last spring.
Guess that nut case just got a new name. Hey dearie – I was the guy with the cross made out of two dildoes. the kids loved it.
Another 300-400 kids who will use the bible as emergency toilet paper.
The sooner organized religion is seen as murderous hate, ignorance and superstition the better.
Comment posted October 28, 2011 @ 5:38 pm
“The Florida groups are also targeting ads on the network for the Trevor Project, a toll-free hot-line for LGBT teens at risk for suicide, because they say it indoctrinates children.”
No, it keeps kids from killing themselves.
Comment posted October 30, 2011 @ 5:20 pm
Awesome, shopping at Target should be a much more pleasant experience with all of these moral dictators refusing to be there!
Also, it’s hilarious that these people are so up in arms about Degrassi. This is actually a reincarnation of the original show that aired in the 90′s. This version is the #1 show in Canada and I think it’s in its 10th season or something. I watched it when I was in high school and I’m almost finished with college now. The gay characters they’re freaking out about premiered back then. You’re a little late to the party, AFA… by a good 7 years.
Comment posted November 12, 2011 @ 10:36 pm
Cool. I’ll go back to shopping at Target now. Wish they’d turn the lighting down, but that’s a minor issue.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
