Lady Gaga changes Target's political donation policies

​A few weeks ago, we were scratching our heads about Lady Gaga's decision to partner with Target to release her new album, Born This Way, given Target's shaky reputation regarding GLBT issues of late and Gaga's passion for GLBT rights activism.

A new interview with Gaga sheds some light on her partnership and indicates she might have some significant sway over Target's policies.

From Billboard:

"That discussion was one of the most intense conversations I've ever had in a business meeting," Gaga says. "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...our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those groups."

Target's VP of communications Dustee Jenkins has also publicly stated that the company has set up a "policy committee" to provide oversight for the company's political contributions and hopefully prevent donations to such notoriously offensive anti-GLBT politicians like Tom Emmer that got them in all this trouble in the first place.

Jenkins points out that Target has recently updated its policies for political contributions and posted the details of their new policy on their corporate site:

Before any contribution is made, the Policy Committee: (i) determines that it supports our business interests; (ii) gives consideration to the interests of our guests, team members, shareholders and other stakeholders; and (iii) concludes that under the circumstances, it is an appropriate means of advancing our public policy position.

[via Secrets of the City and fresh.mn]


By Andrea Swensson,