Fact Check: Is Target selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits for kids as a part of their 2023 Pride collection? Truth debunked

A claim that American retailer corporation Target is selling "tuck-friendly" pride collection kids' bathing suits has been making rounds on the internet. On May 21, a Twitter user named Gays Against Groomers shared a picture of a collection from the retail store's new pride collection that shows a tag that reads "tuck-friendly construction" and "extra crotch coverage."

This comes after the alcohol brand Bud Light faced immense backlash upon partnering with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote the drink, with conservatives going to extreme lengths to boycott the brand.

Because it allegedly caters to children, Target's transgender choices line, which was marketed on their website ahead of Pride Month, has provoked even more outrage.

Other items that raised eyebrows included tee shirts reading “Trans people will always exist!” “Pride Adult Drag Queen ‘Katya,'” and “Girls Gays Theys.”

On May 10, the same Twitter handle slammed Target for "indoctrinating and grooming" kids with LGBTQ ideology by selling t-shirts made for trans individuals. It also urged people to give the brand the "Bud Light treatment" for selling "highly inappropriate and disturbing" items.

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No, Target's "tuck-friendly" suits are not for kids

In a statement issued to The Associated Press by Target's spokesperson Kayla Castaneda, it was revealed that the "tuck-friendly" swimsuits are only available in adult sizes and not in kids', contrary to the widespread claim.

The viral pictures and videos of the Pride offerings by Target are clearly labeled on its website as adult swimwear. Both pages describe the products as "general adult sizing" and offer adult XS as the tiniest size available for purchase.

Castaneda stated that the swimsuits in the Pride collection for children are not of the same design, construction, or label.

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Target has decided to remove some of the LGBTQ offerings amidst backlash

As per Fox News, an insider revealed that several Target stores in the rural areas of the South have shifted their Pride sections to avoid backlash like Bud Light after they partnered with Dylan Mulvaney.

Reportedly, an "emergency" meeting was held on May 19 where management was asked to step down their preparations with the Pride sections immediately. According to an insider:

"We were given 36 hours, told to take all of our Pride stuff, the entire section, and move it into a section that’s a third the size. From the front of the store to the back of the store, you can’t have anything on mannequins and no large signage."

The insider continued:

"We call our customers ‘guests,’ there is outrage on their part. This year, it is just exponentially more than any other year. I think given the current situation with Bud Light, the company is terrified of a Bud Light situation."

On May 23, the retail store told news outlet Reuters that they are pulling some products from their stores to protect employee safety.

In a statement, the spokesperson said:

"Since introducing this year's collection, we've experienced threats impacting our team members' sense of safety and well-being while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior."

The retail brand has been celebrating Pride Month for more than 10 years, but the brand's representative, Castaneda, said that this year's Pride collection has led to more fights between customers and workers, with certain Pride items even being thrown on the floor.