Right on Target (or not?)

 

   They were so gay.  Not only that, they were completely cheesy. 

   Fuck it!  I bought them. 

   They were me.  (Once, years ago, some time before I came out, when I was again buying cheese at the market, my attendant told me I’m a “cheesy guy.” I didn’t argue.)

   The shortalls – shortalls! – were light blue, baby blue, with rainbow straps and rainbow patches showing through manufactured rips in the legs.  Not only that, there was no zipper in the fly.   

   Like I said, completely cheeseball.  And femme. 

   And me. (Again, if someone says that I’m not completely cis or whatever, I don’t argue.) I dig wearing them and rocking them when I go out.  Especially without a shirt.

   Sure, I’m wearing cheesy, fag girl fucking shortalls.  What about it? 

   I sort of had the same reaction to the display of Pride items where I saw the shortalls a few years ago in the front of the Target store – exactly like the ones now being attacked by right-wingers and being sent to the corner, if not out of the store, literally, this Pride Month.  Yes, it was totally  cheeseball. I also didn't like that most of the items tended to be for women - the cis in me talking.  But more than that, it bugged me, creeped me, that, like at Pride Festivals, a big corporation was cashing in, making money off the queer community. 

   On the other hand, I thought it was cool, way cool that it was out there on full display.  I loved it that I was seen, I was reflected, loudly and proudly. 

   There was another time I was in Target that was even more powerful to me.  It was a few years earlier, and it may or may not have been during Pride month.  I was in the store, and a guy who worked there walked by, wearing the standard red shirt.  But instead of the small logo, it had a large target on the front of the shirt with a big, all-color rainbow curving over top. 

   I was thrilled.  I loved seeing this guy out there, saying publicly that he’s gay like me, that I wasn’t alone.  But I also loved the other message he was sending. 

   Yeah, I’m gay.  What about it?  AND Target, my employer, has my back. 

   Or, I now have to ask, does it?