The transgender and self-proclaimed satanist designer who created the merchandise for Target’s Pride clothing campaign said the LGBTQ community is being exploited by companies practicing “rainbow capitalism.”
Satanist designer, Erik Carnell said Target’s Pride Month was all about making profit.
“It’s a very dangerous precedent to set, that if people just get riled up enough about the products that you’re selling, you can completely distance yourself from the LGBT community, when and if its convenient,” Carnell told The Daily Mail.
“If you’re going to take a stance and say that you care about the LGBT community, you need to stand by that regardless.”
Target faced a backlash for promoting Pride Month in its children’s section, igniting a massive boycott against the retailer.
Last month, Target announced it would remove its LGBT Pride Collection and “satanic” items after an avalanche of complaints.
Some of those items Target removed following the backlash included LGBT-themed apparel and accessories with an occult and satanic aesthetic produced by Abprallen, a London-based firm.
The merchandise features horned skulls, pentagrams, and satanic occult images.
Target also removed some of its Pride items from store shelves, including “tuck-friendly” swimsuits, chest binders, “gender fluid” mugs, “queer all year” calendars and books for children aged 2-9 titled “Bye Bye, Binary,” “Pride 1,2,3,” “I’m not a girl,” The Gateway Pundit noted.
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Carnell said he hadn’t been contacted by Target after removing his products, claiming he had been inundated with hate mail and death messages.
Target CEO Brian Cornell sent out a memo last month stating:
“One of the hardest parts” about removing the merchandise was estimating the extent it would affect the “wellbeing and psychological safety” of the LGBTQ community.
“We stand with you now and will continue to do so — not just during Pride Month, but each and every day,” he said.
Carnell boasted about how his sinister designs agitated the public.
“These have already got transphobes infuriated with me, and I feel like quite the celebrity to think that they believe this is all some big conspiracy and I have any power to brainwash anyone when I’m just drawing pictures,” he said.
The “Satan-loving” designer also models t-shirts that say “Satan respects pronouns” and BDSM-style horns on his Instagram page.
Carnell notes in the description of his Etsy store, “Satan loves you and respects who you are. You’re important and valuable in this world, and you deserve to treat yourself with love and respect.”
Target shares fell 3.66% on Tuesday.
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