After decades of woke nonsense, Brian Cornell, who led retail giant Target as CEO for over ten years, will step down on February 1, 2026. Taking his spot is Michael Fiddelke, current COO, who has announced his intention to focus on improving stores, online shopping, and customer trust.
For context, Target faces significant challenges stemming from declining sales, inventory issues, and a 25% decline in stock value over the past five years. However, these issues have been exacerbated by a conservative backlash to DEI and LGBTQ+ merchandise. After years of pandering, it seems as if Target has realized that progressive politics are a foolish waste of money.
As we reported, Target is not the only brand to step away from woke ideology. For example, Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light’s parent company, has withdrawn funding from St. Louis PrideFest 2025, after donating to the event for 30 years. The decision came after a significant backlash following an ad campaign featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which sparked boycotts and dented sales.
Reacting to this decision, Marty Zuniga, President of Pride St. Louis, complained to local media. He whined, “While we are deeply disappointed that Anheuser-Busch has chosen to step away from supporting PrideFest this year, we remain hopeful that the community will step up where they have stepped down. The #45for45 campaign is an opportunity for everyone, whether you’ve marched in the parade, attended our events, or simply believe in equality, to help ensure that these efforts continue for years to come.” Adding to this point, he claimed, “The community and our board are clear—canceling PrideFest is not an option.”
Describing his response, the woke activist whined, “We were devastated. We learned this about a couple of weeks ago and tried to work with them and all our sponsors as we start to gear up to planning for PrideFest 2025. It was just interesting that the longest partner of ours for 30 years that they’ve been at the table with us and a true ally just decided to walk away after basically just saying that they just don’t see the value in it anymore.”
Slamming his former allies, the LGBTQAI+ protestor added, “They don’t see the value in the partnership, or they do not see the value in the community? It’s very hard to draw that line. What really hits home for us is that this is one of the largest employers here in Saint Louis in our own backyard, and that’s what hurts us the most. They have also divested from other prides across the country. San Francisco, for one, off the top of my head.”
Echoing tired woke talking points, Zuniga continued his tirade. The activist stated, “This community is trying to be erased right now, and DEI is becoming a bad word in this country, and we need these partners more than ever.” Still not done, he added, “It’s scary to see this is what’s happening and the impact, but we’re all rallying together to see how we can support each other.”
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For additional background, St. Louis PrideFest described themselves on their website: “For over thirty years, Pride St. Louis, Inc. has been working to raise understanding and acceptance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) individuals in our community. We are not a political group, but rather a community-based organization that envisions a world where diversity can be celebrated and prejudice has been eradicated. We welcome you to join us for a meeting, a workshop, or a special event. As an organization, we are working each and every day to bring about meaningful change right here in St. Louis.”