Lady Gaga Severs Exclusive Target Deal Over Chain's Donations to Anti-Gay Political Group

By John Mitchell Posted Mar 9th 2011 09:45AM

Lady Gaga has dissolved a deal with retail giant Target over the chain's controversial policy regarding political donations. "She and Target didn't see eye to eye on Target's policy of political donations and how they affect the LGBT community," a source close to the singer tells The Advocate.

Gaga had inked a deal with the retailer to offer an exclusive deluxe edition of her highly anticipated forthcoming album 'Born This Way.' Gaga, an ardent gay rights activist, told Billboard last month the deal "hinged upon their [Target's] reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those groups."

Apparently unhappy with the company's efforts, the singer and Target "came to a mutual decision to end their overall exclusive partnership" (via E!).

Last year, it was revealed that Target had donated corporate funds to MN Forward, a political action committee that supported anti-LGBT Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer's failed 2010 run for office.

Target's support for an anti-gay group is, of course, in direct conflict with Gaga's personal politics on LGBT issues. The singer has been a longtime gay rights advocate, and last year spoke at political demonstrations in Maine urging senators there to support a repeal of the military's now-defunct Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, which barred openly gay soldiers from serving in the military. More recently, she has pledged the proceeds from the release of a stripped-down version of 'Born This Way' to anti-bullying charities. Gaga is also the face of cosmetics giant MAC's Viva Glam campaign, which benefits AIDS research.

"That discussion was one of the most intense conversations I've ever had in a business meeting," Gaga told Billboard of her meetings with Target while negotiating the deal. "Part of my deal with Target is that they have to start affiliating themselves with LGBT charity groups and begin to reform and make amends for the mistakes they've made in the past."

Her most recent single, 'Born This Way,' is itself a "manifesto" of the singer's beliefs regarding the need for full equality for all persons regardless of race, sexuality, ethnicity or religion. In a preface to the song, Gaga opens her video with a voice-over that espouses the need for "the beginning of the new race. A race within the race of humanity, a race which bears no prejudice, no judgment, but boundless freedom." The song itself includes lyrics like, "No matter gay, straight, or bi, lesbian, transgendered life / I'm on the right track baby, I was born to survive / No matter black, white or beige, chola or orient made / I'm on the right track baby, I was born to be brave."

'Born This Way' debuted in mid-February to enormous digital download sales and record-shattering pickup at radio (it's the biggest debuting title in the 18-year history of the Billboard chart, according to Nielsen BDS), and has spent the last three weeks at No. 1.

Tags: Lady Gaga

Comments

(68)

Wednesday 09 March

By stu

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she's the queen of ALL pop!!! WAV HER!!!
we will NEVER EVER step inside a Target store!

By Lilly

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Whether you agree with her beliefs or think of her as weird...you have you at least applaud her for sticking up for her own beliefs.

By Jim

Stu, They will miss you...LOL

By damien

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Whether you agree with her beliefs or think of her as weird...you have you at least applaud her for sticking up for her own beliefs.

I wonder if it was someone you didnt agree with..would you be praising them

If I disliked everyone I disagreed with, I'd dislike 99% of the people I meet.

By Rick

Who's going to miss you>

By Ewww

stu - I take it you haven't taken a solid dump in decades?!

By Andy

Lady Gaga looks like a mistake ! !

By John

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And, a billionaire, unlike an ignorant person like you. She is extremely intelligent, creative, and very talented. I applaud her.

By cal sibert

I think Target is much better off without her,as would the rest of us be!!We should promote something good for once.Let the homosexuals pay her not families.

By Skip

no!..I think it is Lady Gaga that is much better off without Target...she doesnt need their money,as she is going to be one the highest money making performers this year. But they need her as she is looked up to by millions of people.Thank God she stands up for the underdog and sticks to her beliefs! I admire her and only wish I could meet her in person.

By scoval711

How do you treat and speak to the homosexuals in your own family? And, they are there. You may not know it, but they are in your own family. Too bad you are so ignorant.

By gchad2003

Skip, maybe part of the problem in America is our looking up to people like her. Between our celebs, pro-ballers, and billionaires, we have some pretty sick and twisted individuals being "looked up to." It is not her talent, it is her shock value. Her lyrics most of the time should be banned and her clothes-less cover "art" should be considered pornographic. Instead, we cheer on our pre-teens for listening to her and encourage them to emulate her. Then we wonder why our kids are hurting, angry, disident and uninspired. As a whole, it is because WE have allowed people like HER to be their role modles. Shame on us! We will have a HUGE price to pay when the next generation takes over. Do you really think that in your old age, they are going to care about you at all?

By Bob

Cal there is a ship leaving for mexico gather your family and go

By ya

i am srt8 & luv Ga Ga..u homophobe= scoval711

By Lavinia

Lily I agree with you.

More to it than this...Why didnt she do this before now or get with them in first place

By early_exit

Damien~ you're right. It's sort of like those celebrities who took millions from the Ghadaffi family for singing 5 songs at a party. Its been known for 40 years that the man was an evil dictator and human rights violator . But Usher, Beyonce ,Jaycee, Nellie Furtado didn't decide to donate their ill-gotten monies to charities UNTIL Wikileaks broke the story a few years after the fact. NOW the celebs want kudo for their donations.

By Pete

I love Lady Gaga

By chucki42

she looks like one of the attention hoading housewives. what next? boycott the U.S. for whatever reason.

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