Woolworths shoppers are divided over the retailer’s support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The group launched its WPride campaign, with the sale of a collection of gay pride merchandise such as a hat, tote bag and a T-shirt. A portion of the proceeds of the pride collection will be donated towards an LGBTQIA+ support organisation.
While some have commended Woolworths for their support, others vowed to boycott it.
According to a statement from the Woolworths press office, it was noted that while the response to the WPride campaign had been largely positive, the retailer was deeply saddened that the campaign had been felt to be offensive and negatively received by some people in the communities.
“It was never our intention to cause division. To the contrary, the overarching objective of the campaign, and our broader Woolworths Inclusive Justice Initiative, is to contribute to a world where everyone feels they belong. This is particularly relevant in a country like ours with so many people with different belief systems and from all walks of life.
“As a customer-first business, we always take customer feedback into account, and will continue to do so as we communicate on the various aspects of our social justice programme,” read the statement.
Woolworths said that the WPride campaign in stores during International Pride Month formed part of their Inclusive Justice Initiative, a group-wide position against marginalisation and a strategy towards embracing diversity and inclusion.
Its Inclusive Justice Initiative set out to acknowledge the extent to which certain groups in society are marginalised, and to help shape an inclusive society in which everyone is accepted, protected and respected, read the statement.
Sazi Jali, founder and executive director of the Transhope Organisation that advocates for the rights of the transgender community, said that the organisation was pleased with Woolworth’s stance.
She said that while the brand’s support was appreciated, it was, however, important for Woolworths and other companies to play an even more supportive role such as through the employment of people from the gay community.
“I understand that there are some queer people behind the scenes but really, the narrative must come down to communities and policies. We have been fighting for at least 10% of our people to be in a working environment. The LGBTQI community should also be embraced in that work space, and let us also be mindful that queer people are not just good enough to buy but can also work for these organisations,” said Jali.
Errol Naidoo, from the Family Policy Institute, a non-profit research and educational organisation dedicated to articulating and advancing a family-centred philosophy of public life, said that Woolworth’s stance to inclusive justice was concerning as they had not done anything to make Christians feel welcomed in the past and that the stance taken by the retailer would alienate more Christians because of their disagreement with the LGBTQIA+ lifestyle.
He called on all Christians to boycott Woolworths stores and not support them online either, at least for the month of June so that they would get their message across.
“Woolworths is funding the LGBTQI support group and these are the very same groups that are pushing for hate crime laws, to silence Christians and to criminalise the Bible. These are the same support groups that are pushing for the redefinition of marriage and family, these are the support groups that are attacking Christians and churches because of our disagreement with the LGBTQI lifestyle,” said Naidoo.
He said that Woolworths did not have to get involved in this as it was a high-end retail store that served a wide range of people and communities in South Africa.
Naidoo further mobilised people to write to the CEO of Woolworths to bring attention to their dissatisfaction.
Last month, Target, a American general-merchandise retailer, saw its sales plummet following a boycott of their products after the company released its Pride-themed clothing line which included designs for children. The retailer, which has at least 2 000 stores nationwide, was prompted to remove some of its Pride-themed products in response to the backlash and threats from the public.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE