Blaze News original: The fall of 'Pride Month': Comedian Thai Rivera explains why Target and the NFL are slowly walking back their activism

With corporations slowly backing off of their yearly tradition of screaming about gay pride from rooftops in order to hock merchandise, many musicians, comedians, and companies alike are noticing that the threat of being canceled by online mobs is diminishing.

Celebrities like Katt Williams and J.K. Rowling powering through attempted cancellations has shown that a temporary wave of online criticism is a storm that can indeed be weathered. This has inspired other comedians to steady the course when offended parties put them in the crosshairs.

This could not be more true than in the case of stand-up comedian Thai Rivera. A self-professed bridge-burner who has dealt with multiple campaigns against him, Rivera openly stated to Blaze News that being a master of his craft gives him the confidence to speak openly about taboo subjects.

It is with this attitude that Rivera often finds himself at odds with the LGBT activist community, despite its propensity to assume he is aligned with them on every issue.

Case in point: Rivera's recent statements on Target's new decision to remove Pride clothing sales from select outlets. This comes a year after the department store was under fire for their "tuck-friendly" bathing suits aimed at transgender people and other Pride products marketed toward children.

"Whenever it comes to LGBT, what happens is the people that are in charge of the marketing just go too crazy at a point and start trying to do things that nobody, even in the community, is really asking for," Rivera explained.

"When it comes to marketing towards kids, nobody is asking for that. Especially when it comes to Pride itself, that's a big thing right now where they say, 'Pride is great for kids,' and it's like, since when?!"

"We've always had kids at Pride because lesbians make mistakes," Rivera joked. "But it was never a push," he continued. Similarly, Rivera said that when Target starting selling "books for kids on gender ideology" and promoting the "tuck-friendly bathing suits," it went too far.

'That's what it is with these people: You tell the truth, and they get mad at you.'

"The marketing was just off, and it seemed weird that they marketed it for years and [didn't market] it to kids, and then all of sudden they were marketing it to kids, and then we end up where we are now."

Reminding the audience that Target exists to make money, Rivera stated that he doesn't put any faith into a company actually sharing his beliefs and neither should folks who consider themselves LGBT.

"If gays, people of different ethnicities ... if you think any corporation or business actually supports what you are, you're stupid. It really is about making money, and are you marketable and are you profitable."

If the product isn't moving, or, even worse, making people turn around and walk out, "then why would you keep it at the front of the store," Rivera asked.

Target recently shared its plan for Pride Month 2024, which included dialing back how many stores it sells gay-themed products in.

But the company did not back off its ideological support, saying, "At Target, we know our business thrives when we create experiences that foster a sense of belonging. That’s why we support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month and year-round."

Target also stated that it would participate in the Minneapolis Pride parade and support organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, which explicitly supports sex-change surgeries for children.

'I don't think trans-women athletes belong in women's sports, not only for physical reasons but because ... can't women have anything?'

NFL dissidents

The NFL's support for Pride initiatives was a widely-discussed topic at the beginning of June 2024, with all but nine teams (and counting) making front-facing posts or webpages in support of certain sexualities.

When asked why the NFL is taking so long to recognize that its initiatives aren't popular among fans, especially in comparison to the national anthem protests, Rivera replied, "Because a lot of gay people don't have lives."

"If they think you're not supporting them then they'll just start harassing you," he laughed. "I know how all this works because I've been the subject of LGBT 'cancellation' before."

Rivera described a scenario of a "few gay people that really have no lives" who will create 10 different email accounts per person and send messages to a particular company to create the feeling that there is a strong backlash and outrage.

"Sometimes it's as lazy as a copy and paste," he disclosed.

"I think it happens with sports teams, too. The push is kind of ridiculous though, because there are gays that really like sports. There are trans people that do like sports. But, when it comes down to it, I don't think that we're a market that they should specifically cater to."

"I also don't think that there's a lot of us that are expecting that from them," he added.

Thai Rivera on the Fall of Pride Monthwww.youtube.com

Trans-canceled

"The first time I got canceled by the trans community I don't remember what I said. I'm sure it was something true, though," Rivera said with a smirk. "That's what it is with these people: You tell the truth, and they get mad at you, and they don't realize that I've had life-long trans friends."

With that in mind, Rivera said he will talk to, about, or make jokes at the expense of trans people like any other person and not like "they are made of glass."

The comedian's resolve is firm in that he isn't afraid of causing offense by telling the truth. An example of such was a time Rivera said he was scrolling his social media feed and was intrigued by an article about LGBT Pride.

"I was feeling quite prideful that morning, so I decided to click on the article."

Rivera recalled reading "the whiniest thing" he's ever read about LGBT Pride and shared his thoughts on the article on Facebook. His commentary on the "whiny" articled inevitably ended up offending a few readers. A person dating a transgender individual tried to start an argument with him, Rivera said, but the comedian wasn't impressed by the outrage and reminded the person that their "boyfriend just turned into their girlfriend nine months ago."

After being told several times he was being offensive and not honoring a "trans day of remembrance," Rivera remembered plainly stating the day is "not a thing."

"It's like Kwanzaa, who cares?!"

"I told them," Rivera continued. "You're arguing with a real fag right now, it's not going to be the same situation as when you argue with straight people."

Pro athlete, pro woman

Rivera said he understands why some pro-women's sports groups act like "ambulance chasers," trying to sound the alarm on instances when men impede in women's spaces.

"Unfortunately, I think it is necessary," he admitted.

Rivera revealed that he feels groups like the Independent Council on Women's Sports are fighting a just cause and that women should be able to have their own spaces, which he said definitely includes sports and changing rooms. The comic said he is "100%" on the side of women "putting their foot down and saying 'this is for us.'"

"I don't think trans-women athletes belong in women's sports, not only for physical reasons but because ... can't women have anything? ... I don't know if a lot of people at home have ever seen a trans woman naked, but it is jarring!" he laughed.

In terms of scholarships and athletic records, Rivera said that many women are having opportunities taken from them by trans athletes, therefore he said that groups such as ICONS are definitely necessary, even though he sees ideas like women having their own sports as "common sense."

Rivera referenced other necessary pushback from figures like J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series.

"She's got enough money that she can say f*** it."

Rowling has not backed off from referring to a plethora of transgender women directly as men and quite literally dared Scottish police to arrest her for the violation of hate speech laws.

"I'm currently out of the country, but if what I've written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act, I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment," Rowling said in March 2024.

Rivera reiterated that a college-age woman should be able to express that she's uncomfortable with a man in her changing room and not be reprimanded for speaking up about it.

He concluded by pointing out the unsettling reality of how much a person's livelihood can determine how vocal he or she is about his or her beliefs.

A lot of people who take issue with men encroaching in women's' territory "have to keep their mouth shut because they don't want to lose their jobs," he stated.

Rivera routinely posts portions of his stand-up comedy on his YouTube channel and is active on his Patreon page.

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