Thread by @JuddLegum

1. Last week, 7 GOP state attorneys general sent a letter to Target warning that selling LGBTQ-themed merch "to families and young children" may be illegal

The letter alleges selling "LGBT-themed onesies, bibs, and overalls, t-shirts" could violate "child-protection laws"

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2. The letter alleges that the items for sale at Target could constitute the “sale or distribution… of obscene matter."

The actual LGBTQ-themed merchandise sold by Target in kids sizes, however, is patently not obscene.

3. The letter cites state laws "to protect children," including laws requiring material "harmful to minors" to be removed from school libraries, prohibiting "gender transition procedures on minors," and banning use of a minor's preferred pronoun.

popular.info/p/pride-and-pr…

4. Of course, none of these laws have anything to do with Target.

Unable to marshal a real legal argument, much of the letter involves parroting misinformation about the items offered for sale in Target during Pride Month.

5. the letter claims that Target sold "girls’ swimsuits with 'tuck-friendly construction' and 'extra crotch coverage' for male genitalia." This is false. Those swimsuits were "only offered in adult sizes."

popular.info/p/pride-and-pr…

6. The attorneys general also object to Target selling a t-shirt called "Pride Adult Drag Queen Katya." As the name suggests, this is a t-shirt that is offered only in adult sizes. (Although if it was sold in kids sizes it would still not be obscene.)

Although off-topic, the letter also accuses Target of "products with anti-Christian designs, such as pentagrams, horned skulls, and other Satanic products." This is also a lie. The attorneys general cite a Reuters article that notes "Satanic products" were "not sold at Target."

8. Even if all these false claims were true, it is unclear what laws Target would be violating. Swimsuits, drag queen t-shirts, and anti-Christian merchandise are not obscene or illegal.

popular.info/p/pride-and-pr…

9. Although the letter is replete with flawed legal analysis and factual inaccuracies, it should not be dismissed. It is a clear effort by the chief legal officers of 7 states to criminalize acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ people, claiming that doing so is a threat to kids.

10. The letter from the attorneys general to Target is part of the Republican crusade against "woke" corporations. The allegation is that these corporations are systematically pursuing a left-wing agenda on LGBTQ rights and other issues.

popular.info/p/pride-and-pr…

11. It's true that many corporations have public-facing communications touting their commitment to the LGBTQ rights. In June, @TMobile ran a national TV ad celebrating Pride: "Pride isn't just a day or a month. At T-Mobile, it's in our DNA and it's every day."

@TMobile 12. All seven signatories of the anti-LGBTQ letter to Target are members of the @RepublicanAGs. The group spends tens of millions helping its members get elected and promoting their agendas in office. On Saturday, RAGA promoted Rokita's letter to Target on Twitter.

@TMobile @RepublicanAGs 13. @RepublicanAGs has not yet disclosed its contributors in 2023. But @Tmobile donated a combined $65,000 to @RepublicanAGs in 2021 and 2022.

Another supposedly woke corporation, @AnheuserBusch, donated a combined $210,000 to @RepublicanAGs in 2021 and 2022.

@TMobile @RepublicanAGs @AnheuserBusch 14. Twitter is dying because it's being run by an incompetent right-wing megalomaniac.

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