LGBTQ+ And The Corporatization Of Pride: The Trans Activists and Their Corporate Partners Have Come To An Agreement, And Your Kids Are The Bargaining Chip 

Photo Credits: Kelly M. Jackson

The Tennessee Conservative [By Kelly M. Jackson] –

Every year since 2013, Target celebrates PRIDE month, which this publication has recently learned is less of a month and more of a “season” that runs from June through September.  

During those months, Tennesseans have become accustomed to seeing rainbows splashed all over everything everywhere with slogans like “We’re Glad You’re Queer”, “Love is Love” and “Queer AF” emblazoned on any item imaginable. It’s quite a money maker it turns out.

Items from this year’s PRIDE collection at Target range in price from $2-$80 a piece. Those items are anything from cards and calendars to t-shirts, and onesies for babies.  

The issue of corporatism and PRIDE within the LGBTQ+ community has always been and remains a hot button issue. Many in the community feel as though corporations use the face of the movement to sell merch, while not actually investing in the community itself.

Conservatives find this ironic since every year around May, they are inundated with a very specific and strident message that cannot be avoided: PRIDE will be celebrated by everyone, whether you want to or not. Which leads to the recent controversy with the line of clothing that is currently being marketed at all Target stores all across the country. Even here in deep “red” Tennessee.  

Due to the criticism Target has drawn from the community that they have been accused of using and pandering to, to make millions of dollars every year, they have switched things up this year by partnering with an organization called GLSEN. GLSEN stands for the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. 

This organization nearly merits an entire article all on its own, but we will do our best to explain their partnership with Target and how that partnership has yielded a focus, more now than ever on children and young teens.  

According to the website, Parents Defending Education, GLSEN “is a national activist group focused on, according to the organization’s website, “championing LGBTQ issues in K-12 education.” GLSEN (pronounced “glisten”) stands for the “Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Educator Network.” 

The organization says the focus of its efforts is on “school safety”, making the claim that 83% of LGBTQ+ youth “don’t feel safe at school. The organization has a mission statement that states they want to “to transform our nation’s schools into the safe and affirming environment all youth deserve.” Conservative parents hear words like those and shudder.  

What GLSEN actually appears to be doing is furthering its transgender agenda through learning materials that include teacher trainings, school policy guides, curriculum, and school gender and sexuality alliance clubs.  

Some of the national level organizations that GLSEN currently partners with to proliferate their propaganda, are:  

• School Superintendents Association 
• American School Counselor Association 
• National Association of Elementary School Principals 
• National Association of Independent Schools 
• National Association of School Psychologists 

• National Association of Secondary School Principals 
• National School Boards Association 
• National PTA, and  
• National Education Association 

GLSEN is funded by donations from individuals, foundations and has many corporate partners.  

These corporate partners include:  

• The Disney Corporation 
• PetSmart 

• Target 
• Wells Fargo 
• Gucci 
• New Balance  
• Walmart 

• Colgate 
• Nickelodeon 

This is not an exhaustive list, just some of the bigger names that were discovered on their website.  Many more national and internationally recognized names were also found, we encourage readers to visit their website for all the information on GLSEN’s partners.  

In essence, Target and other companies like them have been drawn into a deal with activist groups like GLSEN, to create and peddle merchandise that will make their corporate partners millions of dollars in profits, and at the same time fund organizations like theirs whose goal it is to infiltrate all public schools through relationships with national education organizations, who will in turn,  accept their free materials that can then be woven into the daily lessons our children will learn in their public schools. All schools, K-12.  

The Tennessee Conservative visited a few Target stores around the state and found that the merchandise was front and center as you walk into the stores, and includes the same merchandise as seen in other states around the country geared toward children and babies.  

Research yielded a page just for advocates of the organization located here in Tennessee, a place where many families have fled in the last handful of years in order to escape exactly what this organization is so masterfully managing to accomplish in bluer states. Be sure to let your school administrators know how you feel about organizations like GLSEN and ask if there are any partnerships with them on a county level.  

This is your children’s future, hold your school administrators accountable, convey that organizations like GLSEN will not be tolerated, and let them know you don’t co-parent with the government.  

About the Author: Kelly Jackson is a recent escapee from corporate America, and a California refugee to Tennessee. Christ follower, Wife and Mom of three amazing teenagers. She has a BA in Comm from Point Loma Nazarene University, and has a background in law enforcement and human resources. Since the summer of 2020, she has spent any and all free time in the trenches with local grassroots orgs, including Mom’s for Liberty Williamson County and Tennessee Stands as a core member.  Outspoken advocate for parents rights, medical freedom, and individual liberty. Kelly can be reached at kelly@tennesseeconservativenews.com.