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TARGET GOES GAY AGAIN

Did you boycott Target?  If you did, did you maintain it?

If the above answers were ‘yes,’ I want to thank you.  Targets are very cheap, close-by and convenient, and stopping shopping there takes some concentration.  I greatly appreciate everyone who observed it.

However, I believe the boycott can officially cool down.

Today, Jessica Carlson, a mouth-piece of Target, announced a change to the company’s giving practices, a change that gay publication the Washington Blade says is mean to “evolve its practices” following the fallout of the last election.  The boycott was initiated because the company (Minnesota-based) donated $150,000 to the political campaign of a pro-business (and rabidly anti-gay) Minnesota candidate.

Target’s revised policies will now put harsher mandates on what donations are given to whom, and specific policies that relate to pro-gay candidates.  Also, Target has given donations to pro-gay Minnesota initiatives such as Project 515, an effort to educate Minnesota residents as to the 515 laws and statutes that keep gays unequal from straights.

So, if it is your druthers to return to (or continue) shopping at Target, I believe it is now safe to do so with a clean conscience.  Well done, everyone!

THE STATUS OF GAYS

Starting today, in the US, UK and Australia, Facebook is expanding “relationship statuses” to include ‘in a civil union’ and ‘in a domestic partnership.’

I say hoorah!  While I disdain the differences between civil unions, domestic partnerships and actual marriages, I do applaud the huge Facebook effort to make gays more visible, less scare quotes-y, and for further highlighting the reality that we aren’t ‘married.’

Words have a powerful effect.  Labels have a powerful effect.  This is as much an education on the status (PUNNNS!!!) of gays as it is a celebration.  Everyone (in the US, UK and OZ) are able to call their relationship what they want on the website they most likely frequent the most.

Couplings and families come in a lot more varieties than most people would like to admit.  America has a lot more variety than you know.  I’m glad there are options.  It doesn’t all have to look the same.  Let’s just make sure that everyone has access to all the options.