Target Pulling 'Baby Daddy' Father's Day Card After Being Called Out On Social Media
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Target is pulling a Father's Day card from its shelves after critics on social media pointed out it was the only one on display to feature a black couple and had the words "Baby Daddy" emblazoned on it.
Takeisha Saunders, of Dallas, Texas, sparked discussion about the card in a Facebook post late last month.
"You CANNOT be serious Target!!!!!" she wrote.
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The controversy surrounding the card has much to do with the slang term "baby daddy," which generally refers to a father who is not married to or in a relationship with the mother of his child.
While some on social media said the term can also be used as one of endearment, others argued that it often comes with connotations of being a "deadbeat dad."
When set against a background of a black couple, the term caused offence to Target shoppers looking for Father's Day cards.
In response to the online outrage, Target said it will pull the card from its shelves.
"We appreciate the feedback and apologize," the Minneapolis-based company wrote to its shoppers. "It's never our intent to offend any of our guests."
We were made aware of some concerns about this card last week and are working with our vendor to have it removed from Target stores. We appreciate the feedback and apologize. It's never our intent to offend any of our guests with the products we sell.
— AskTarget (@AskTarget) June 14, 2018
As for Saunders, she told BuzzFeed News she was "glad" that Target responded the way it did.
"I am glad Target is showing they actually listen to their consumers and want to make it right," she said. "You may not agree with me but at least be willing to learn from someone else's perspective and not cut them down."
