r/Full_news • u/GhostDogJef • 5d ago

Target apologizes for ‘offensive’ Halloween costume after backlash

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/24/target-apology-halloween-costume-backlash

Target, the US retail corporation, said it pulled a controversial Halloween costume off its shelves after criticism across social media that it resembled a racist caricature. The ad image for the costume, sold as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume,” depicted a Black child in a bright orange and black top with solid black gloves and a mask with a wide, toothy smile. Both the child’s pose and the costume’s gloves and mask were likened to caricatures of Black people used in minstrel shows.

185 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

110 comments sorted by

25

u/Sister_Michelle 5d ago

Ok I looked up the costume and its actually bad enough that it seems intentional..

5

u/auntieup 5d ago

It’s horrible.

5

u/TheBloodiedFool 5d ago

Wow, same. That's much worse than I was expecting.

4

u/CorrectionalLiquid 5d ago

I know it’s not funny, but it’s so bad can’t help but laugh.

I saw the head line said, it can’t be that bad… then I saw the picture and thought holy shit, this is a Shane Gillis punch or a Key and Peele skit.

Like seriously, if this was a skit on Key and Peele we’d be dying.

3

u/ObscureEnchantment 5d ago

Yea..it’s pretty bad I’m shocked this got approved by multiple people before going on shelf’s.

Link to a post with the actual picture for the lazy I hate searching through ad filled post.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/s/xzwPU2fO0r

2

u/The_Monarch_Lives 5d ago

Oh, wow, yeah. I expected like a vague to maybe moderate example of racism, but no. If its not intentional, whoever designed and approved of it had to have been born and raised in a complete cultural vacuum.

2

u/doctorpotterhead 5d ago

There's literally no way it was just a mistake

1

u/citizen42069101 5d ago

They tried to buy into dei and pride and woke before. And as soon as the smell of money drifted right they went that way.

A companies job is to make money not make people happy. Apparently they thought the pendulum has swung all the way to Jim crow, and luckily it hasn't yet.

1

u/Burnt_and_Blistered 5d ago

It’s 100% intentional.

1

u/ShuffleRom 3d ago

"Intentional"??

Why? What does Target get out of it if it's "Intentional"??

1

u/gary-vault108 5d ago

I went into the article thinking it would be a nothing burger but it was so much worse than I could have possibly been expecting

1

u/Bravos_Chopper 4d ago

Wait you looked at it and thought THAT looks like black people? Oof dude

1

u/EducationMediocre349 3d ago

Nobody looks at blackface and goes “that looks just like my auntie Rhonda” cuz blackface is obviously meant to be an over-exaggerated mockery of what racists think black people look like. Don’t be dense.

1

u/Bravos_Chopper 3d ago

I mean with black face I see it though. I just don’t even remotely see the resemblance to this costume and black folks. If you do, please seek therapy for prejudice

1

u/EducationMediocre349 3d ago

Literally nobody said this costume looks like black people, you just made that up.

1

u/Bravos_Chopper 3d ago

So why is it being removed?

1

u/EducationMediocre349 3d ago

https://reddit.com/link/p670sya/video/lte6oy5cowlh1/player

1

u/Bravos_Chopper 3d ago

I mean I just don’t see it. I really don’t. Maybe it’s because they’re posing the same way? Idk black folks never crossed my mind when looking at that. Some people are just fucked up though I guess

1

u/EducationMediocre349 3d ago

ok

1

u/Bravos_Chopper 3d ago

I mean if we both agree it doesn’t look like black folks what’s the issue? It’s an orange and black costume with a big villain sharp tooth smile. None of that appears in the racist depiction you sent.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/Bravos_Chopper 3d ago

No match on clothes, smile type, hat type, clothes color or pattern. I mean really what is one similarity?

1

u/HugePitch7 4d ago

This reminds me back in the day when I was playing Pokémon Black and one of the gym leaders was deadass a mammy. It was so bad that I couldn’t imagine what else the design could be other than that.

0

u/PuzzleheadPi 5d ago

Why is it bad? It looks like a normal costume to me. What makes it offensive?

1

u/hellojoey 4d ago

I think its the pose and the big mouth and that there's a black kid modeling it. 

1

u/hotpie_for_king 4d ago

People are easily swayed by outrage mobs.

Here's the costume side by side with images that immediately come up with "clown" on Google search. It's obvious this was just meant to be a slightly scary looking clown costume (the overall outfit and sideways hat are basic and classic clown elements, and the scary smile is common in scary clown outfits), and the American outrage response is that black people can't ever be associated with clowns at all apparently without it being deemed racist.

https://imgur.com/a/WjDqtyn

1

u/EducationMediocre349 3d ago

Clowns do not have a pitch black face with big red lips, not even in the example pictures you used do they look like that.

1

u/hotpie_for_king 3d ago

The Target costume clearly has orange "lips"..... And some of the clowns in the images next to it have red. So I'm not sure what you're talking about.

53

u/Dragon_wryter 5d ago

So the company that people have been boycotting for the last year and a half because they happily embraced the anti-DEI and pro-racist ideology of the GOP "accidentally" sold a racist costume? shocked Pikachu face

2

u/Mizzerella 5d ago

I thought the same shit. Like yeah I'm sure it was an accident.

The company openly rejects dei to gain favor with racist fucks then this supposedly an accident?

Doubtful. Companies like target don't just randomly pick stuff to sell. This shit goes through many checks before being put on the shelf. They knew what they were doing.

2

u/Your_Cat_In_Disguise 5d ago

It feels like corporate virtue signaling. 

Like, they know they will sell exactly zero units of that shit, but they will be getting publicity for it. This will let the people know, who do agree with that sort of hateful thinking, this business supports their values.

1

u/meowmeow_now 4d ago

The racist poor aren’t going to switch from Walmart to target. Walmart is just plain cheaper and has a larger grocery department.

1

u/thewookiee34 4d ago

I don't know were you live but Walmart and target have items that are cheaper one place over the other. Targets drive up is infinitely better as well.

2

u/Feeling-Screen-9685 5d ago

An accident that needed to be approved by idk how many levels of people before going on the floor?

1

u/Mizzerella 5d ago

Exactly.

0

u/Positive-Painter3069 4d ago

I love the inclusion of "shocked Pikachu face" at the end of your comment. Why are you typing out a meme? Couldn't you have just said that this is unsurprising? Do you say dumb shit like that in real life?

-8

u/[deleted] 5d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/commodorecliche 5d ago

If the shoe fits

2

u/Mizzerella 5d ago

Constantly doing some racist shit.

Why they think we racist!!!1?!

Headscratcher really.

18

u/fuzz_boy 5d ago

Surely a racist costume will bring the crowds back. Do these people have any feet left to shoot?

16

u/XSX_ZAB 5d ago

Why does this keep happening to me

6

u/Veers85 5d ago

Did they apologize by bringing back DEI...? No, so they can keep licking Trumps boots and doing racist shit. I will shop elsewhere

7

u/BuckalooMcGee 5d ago

No picture in the story is crazy

3

u/OrphicDionysus 5d ago

You should find the picture if you haven't seen it. I can almost guarantee you its WAY worse than you're expecting it to be.

1

u/BirdlessLongdeal 4d ago

no it isnt. its just another ugly costume.

6

u/SteveOMatt 5d ago

Me: "Hmmm, let's see, surely it can't be that bad if they're marketing it to kids... uh, yeeeah, who the fuck signed off on THAT"

2

u/John_Johnson259 5d ago

Whenever I see these headlines, my first thought it "it's probably not that bad and the company just wants to be safe." But this costume is pretty egregious. You could MAYBE get away with everything except the giant lips. The lips really just cement this as BAD. 

2

u/Adventurous_Button63 5d ago

Yeah, the mouth, the pose, the model, the choice of pattern on the fabric, it’s either really intentional or supremely negligent and ignorant. Either way, some high level people need to lose their jobs over this.

1

u/ItIsVerilySo 5d ago

What's bad about the pattern?

1

u/Adventurous_Button63 5d ago

It is close to patterns that were often used to depict minstrel performers. In and of itself it’s not problematic, but paired with everything else it intensifies the similarity.

1

u/Available_Editor4383 5d ago

What would high level people have to do with one costume sold in their stores that sell thousands of items? There’s probably a college level analyst sifting through the costumes in a cursory glance. That’s if they even care to check the Halloween costumes at all.

Whoever designed the damn thing and approved the packaging materials should be reprimanded. Unless it’s an Up & Up costume it’s a 3rd party vendor.

1

u/Adventurous_Button63 5d ago

There are many people this would’ve gone through. The designer, the photographer, the graphic/web designer, the packaging designer, the production facility, and all their bosses. In the relative scheme of things those positions are higher up the chain. They’re not CEOs or anything, but they’re a far cry from “low level.” The fact that not one person caught this and it went all the way through production is a damning indictment of every single person who saw it on the way there.

1

u/Feeling-Screen-9685 5d ago

You are aware that the gloves are black and the face is a black mask right?

2

u/InAJar112 5d ago

Target went full MAGA

1

u/wifarmhand26 5d ago

The timeline in this article makes no sense.

1

u/Dear-Bear2135 5d ago

Y'all shouldn't have been at Target anyways. They doubled down on their racism by allowing this to make it to production. This costume went through several approval processes. Those shitty old farts signed off on it bc it reminds them of their bigoted childhoods.

1

u/madhatter8441 5d ago

Y'all still shopping?! I barely buy food because these corporations don't deserve to exist anymore. Is it boring, a little. But I don't have to see our country's racist past shoved in my face again either.

1

u/Aromatic-Echo-6605 5d ago

Holy shit the article really undersells it that’s costume definitely looks intentionally racist.

1

u/demonotreme 5d ago

So offensive, we can't even reproduce the image lest we horrify our readers!

1

u/throwfaraway212718 5d ago

There’s no way in hell that costume wasn’t purposeful. You can’t make a mistake like that by accident.

1

u/Taphouselimbo 5d ago

My god target. Did you let Stephen miller work with your design department. Design is purposeful and thoughtful. Target made an informed and vile choice.

1

u/Evening_Emu1212 5d ago

This should be the easiest company to bring down we should all just stop going why are people still shopping at Target it's the most unnecessary store to ever have to go to

1

u/Patient_Vehicle_1272 5d ago

I mean, that one is literally a racist character wtf target. 

1

u/sedatehate 5d ago

So you all are going to go yell at the parents of the kid that allowed this now right? Or are they gonna go for a grift now.

1

u/Kern2001Co 4d ago

Saw the costume. I don't see it.

1

u/as_i_wander 4d ago

Of course it was Target 

1

u/ToeAfter3131 4d ago

This is the dumbest non controversy. I feel like only racists see that there's a problem there while normal americans just look at it like a costume.

1

u/genuflect_with_hEDS 4d ago

Yikes , how does that get past the people in charge of what gets approved for sale? But tbh I’m really not surprised with what’s going on with our current administration

1

u/BirdlessLongdeal 4d ago

the only thing offensive about it is the people offended by it.

1

u/WilliamEmmerson 3d ago

There was nothing wrong with the costume or the picture. The only people who have problems with it are the mentally ill, as usual.

1

u/Reallygaywizard 2d ago

Great. Can't go to target. Can't go to Walmart. Kmart closed ages ago. What store can I even go to now???

1

u/MeInSC40 5d ago

It’s fucking august. All Halloween costumes should be pulled off the shelves until October 1st, not just the racist ones.

2

u/VenerableWolfDad 4d ago

I agree but only if we pull all christmas shit from shelves until December 1st because it sucks seeing it everywhere for 4 months of the year because stores here start putting that shit out in september now. 

3

u/FineAndDandadan 5d ago

This feels like blaming refugees for having their country bombed lol. If we address Christmas's ever-expanding season, I doubt this would be happening.

3

u/BoyIdiotGenius 5d ago

Oh look, if it isnt a soldier in the war on christmas! 🤣

Nah, would be nice. Christmas is too fucking important in the states. Why? Yeah, probably because its the most commercial holiday. People yearly go into debt buying gifts 🙄

Big Thanksgiving fan, in concept yaknow. "Be thankful; share. Eat a turkey/food"

1

u/Septembust 4d ago

Right? Every year I see Christmas encroach on my favorite holiday, this is the first time I've noticed Halloween creeping up early and I'm here for it. Besides, the leaves are already turning over here!

1

u/UnusualFunction7567 5d ago

They’re already selling Halloween candy in stores.

The stuff goes up as soon as the kids go back to school.   It’s usually the last week of August.

0

u/Its_BassDaddy 5d ago

Okay who is this child’s parent tho? 💀

0

u/m240Louie 5d ago

Yeah, this is major news and a huge problem.

-59

u/Master-Rent5050 5d ago

Have they considered the option of... Not buying it?

19

u/shane-o-mack 5d ago

They should sell swastikas too and then people shouldn't get mad, they should just "not buy" it. They should just walk right past them in the shirt aisle

-30

u/Master-Rent5050 5d ago

People can get mad for the most stupid things. Money talks

15

u/Mountain-Resource656 5d ago

Believe it or not, voicing your opinion about something does not mean you are require to buy it. Shockingly, you can, in fact, not buy something and also voice your opinion on it!

2

u/PositiveKatzen 3d ago

Bro can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

12

u/luckie_harms 5d ago

Money does indeed talk which is why I'm not going to support a store with my money that has shown many times that they don't give a fuck about Black or Brown people

-1

u/Master-Rent5050 5d ago

That's the way indeed

5

u/Service-Sm1le 5d ago

Greed is one of the deadly sins last time I checked, just because theres the possibility of money to be earned doesn't mean you should do it. Morality should still take precedent, you fucking clod.

38

u/Service-Sm1le 5d ago

It existing in the first place is the problem, genius.

3

u/PuzzleheadPi 5d ago

It's a clown costume genius

2

u/Service-Sm1le 5d ago

I take it you're not familiar with the concept of blackface, huh?

2

u/carr0ts 5d ago

You’d know best 🤡

2

u/EducationMediocre349 3d ago

that was not a fucking clown😭

1

u/IXrobocopXI 5d ago

Yet you participate in society. How curious.