I'm writing because I genuinely love Target. There is a Target (Chicago Near North) five blocks from my house, and I joke that I should just sign my paycheck over to Target as soon as I get it, because all of my money goes there anyway. And when I'm mad about something, or upset, I go to Target. It makes me feel better... everything is neat, and shiny, and stylish (yet affordable!) I even wrote about my love of Target in a play, performed over 10 weeks, 4 days a week, to at least 2,000 people - that's some good publicity for Target!

But now my "happy place" is the very thing making me feel upset! I'm gay. Out and proud! And so, the news that Target donated money to Minnesota Forward, which supports the incredibly anti-gay (and anti-immigration!) candidate Tom Emmer, is confusing, contradictory, and alarming. I've already read your statement and know you say that Target's corporate giving is based on your desire to fund candidates that want to support corporate growth. I get it, and don't need to hear more about that. What I want to hear is why I should continue to shop at Target knowing that despite your claims to be an inclusive and LGBT-friendly corporation, you support the hateful agendas of someone like Tom Emmer? How is Target planning to counter its support for anti-gay politicians with actual dollars - not lip service or marching in the Gay Pride Parades?

I really, really want to hear a compelling answer to this question. Because until I do, I can't feel good about shopping at Target. And since shopping is what I do for fun (truly - I love shopping), if I can't feel good about it, why do it? At least at Target? For the moment, I'm taking my impulse shopping elsewhere. And to give you a sense of what that looks like, in the past week I've bought: sunscreen, self-tanner, nail polish, bowls, 5 Elmo DVDs, a bathing suit, a plastic ball, ice cream, a hat, a pair of shoes, diapers, baby wipes, a shirt, contact lenses, peas, and a book. Those are all small purchases, but believe me - they add up, because I go to Target at least twice a week. Like I said - there's one 5 blocks form my house. It is totally and absolutely inconvenient for me to pick up "must-have" items like glue sticks and lip gloss elsewhere, but I will. Until I have a good reason not to.

Please give me one. What LGBT friendly organizations and candidates are you funding? And how much money are you giving them?Tell me what you're doing to counter a hate agenda so that I can go back to my own love agenda of wandering the aisles of Target, happily taking in the sight of rows upon rows of perfectly organized consumer items?

I'm serious. I WANT to shop at Target. But right now I just can't.

Please make this right.

Sincerely,

Coya Paz

Concerned Shopper with an Awful Lot of Friends