Target sells shirts to benefit equality advocates

June 2, 2012 at 4:47 a.m. | Updated June 2, 2012 at 4:47 a.m.

This undated photo provided June 1, 2012, by Target Corp. shows one of the T-shirts target is selling to raise money for a group working to defeat a gay marriage ban in Minnesota. The Minneapolis-based retailer is taking heat from same-sex marriage opponents in its home state, where voters will decide this November whether to put a gay marriage ban into the state constitution.
This undated photo provided June 1, 2012, by Target Corp. shows one of the T-shirts target is selling to raise money for a group working to defeat a gay marriage ban in Minnesota. The Minneapolis-based retailer is taking heat from same-sex marriage opponents in its home state, where voters will decide this November whether to put a gay marriage ban into the state constitution.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Target Corp. is taking some heat for selling T-shirts to benefit a group that favors gay marriage.

The retail giant recently unveiled several "Pride"-themed shirts, with proceeds to benefit the Family Equality Council. The group is one of several fighting a proposed constitutional amendment in Minnesota to ban gay marriage.

Frank Schubert, a spokesman for one of the largest groups that favors the ban, tells Minnesota Public Radio (http://bit.ly/LdxnXh) the T-shirts are "a slap in the face to people of faith and supporters of marriage."

Target says the T-shirts simply reinforce its long support of the LGBT community.

The online T-shirt promotion marks an apparent turn for Target. The company was sharply criticized two years ago for donating $150,000 to support a candidate for governor who opposed same-sex marriage.

Information from: Minnesota Public Radio News, http://www.mpr.org

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