When Walmart approached Gay Pride Apparel founders Sergio Aragon and Jesus Gutierrez to launch an exclusive Pride Month collection this June, it felt like a “full circle” moment for the first-generation Mexican Americans, who have been shopping at the discount big-box store their entire lives. “My family grew up low-income and Walmart was all we had,” Gutierrez tells The Independent. “If I would’ve seen a Pride display at age nine, it would’ve been so special.” Little did the founders of Gay Pride Apparel – whose mission is to celebrate and empower the LGBT+ community through clothing and accessories – know that they would soon be on the receiving end of “violent threats” from protestors, angry over the Pride Month merchandise. They’re not alone. This month, both queer designers and customers have faced numerous attacks from anti-LGBT+ groups over Pride Month collections. Target was infamously at the centre of significant backlash over its wide-ranging Pride merchandise. The outrage began after conservative media outlets falsely claimed Target was selling “tuck-friendly” bathing suits in the children’s department. Rather, the “tuck-friendly” swimsuits were designed for trans women who have not had gender-affirming surgery, but the misinformation didn’t stop there. Erik Carnell, a gay trans man based in the United Kingdom, received “hundreds upon hundreds of hate messages” for his queer inclusive brand Abprallen, which was also featured in Target’s Pride collection. While the retailer sold three of his designs in its stores, it was his items using occult imagery that received conservative backlash, despite not being sold in Target stores at all. In Montana, a transgender couple was harassed by a far-right extremist who destroyed a Pride display at a Target in Missoula, telling the couple to “enjoy [the merchandise] while you can.” Several videos also showed anti-LGBT+ protesters harassing Target employees, destroying Pride Month displays, and shouting “Your kids can’t be gay!” inside stores. In response, Target announced it was pulling some of its Pride Month merchandise after several employees experienced “confrontational behaviour” from angry customers. “Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” the retailer said in a statement. “Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the centre of the most significant confrontational behaviour. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year.” Target wasn’t the only major retailer to face conservative outrage and boycotts from anti-LGBT+ groups. Kohl’s, Adidas, The North Face, and Starbucks have all been criticised for their Pride Month campaigns and collections. And most notable of all was Anheuser-Busch, which featured trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney in a social media promotional post for Bud Light back in April. From parades, to demonstrations, to even marketing, LGBT+ empowerment has dominated the month of June for more than 50 years. But this year’s Pride comes amidst an unsettling time for the queer community, as America’s largest LGBT+ civil rights group issues a “state of emergency” for LGBT+ people living in the United States. Hundreds of bills have been introduced in state legislatures impacting the queer community, specifically targeting trans and nonbinary people. Out of 220 bills, more than 75 have been signed into law, and at least 19 states have enacted policies banning gender affirming healthcare for young trans people. This Pride Month, it seems as though the minority of Americans (more than 70 per cent of people in the US support same-sex marriage) are speaking the loudest. It may be because conservative legislation, largely targeting trans Americans, has emboldened anti-LGBT+ individuals to feel comfortable attacking the queer community in public spaces. However, many LGBT+ business owners believe it’s the increasing visibility and popularity of queer-inclusive fashion that has angered protesters. In fact, queer-owned businesses have generated more than $1.7 trillion in economic impact, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The purchasing power of the queer community is without question, hence the age-old trend of corporations “rainbow-washing” during the month of June – slapping a rainbow on their products or logos to signal themselves as “gay-friendly,” rather than holding themselves accountable in their support for the LGBT+ community. Queer-owned businesses have existed for decades, and the ongoing attacks against retailers supporting them during Pride has only made them feel more empowered. TomboyX is a queer-founded fashion brand that designs gender-neutral undergarments for people of all sizes and across the gender spectrum. In 2012, co-founders Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez set out to make the perfect gender-neutral boxer brief after recognising a gap in the market for inclusive underwear. Today, TomboyX’s underwear and loungewear can be found in major US retailers like Nordstrom. “From the very beginning, we always recognised that there was this white space in fashion that was very much gendered,” Gonzalez tells The Independent. Her wife, Dunaway, added: “I think that for us it was just really important to be inclusive because we’re part of the LGBTQ+ community. We’re a married couple and so we really felt what it was like to not be seen and represented in fashion.” While TomboyX may have started the conversation on queer-inclusive fashion more than a decade ago, it’s continued to be a part of it. “There’s a sense of pride in just having more queer, non-binary designers out in the world, expressing themselves in all the ways that they see fit and having accessibility to the broader audience that way too,” Gonzalez says. “I think this isn’t about, you know, just one brand or anything like that. This is very much a movement. It’s very much an expression of the importance of being yourself.” The movement for non-gendered clothing has made headway in recent years, having much to do with the growing number of young Americans who self-identify as members of the LGBT+ community. In fact, the number has almost doubled, with a record one in five Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ. “In the past four or five years that we’ve been in this industry as a company, we definitely notice an increase of people coming to us asking not just for gender-inclusive clothing, but for non-binary related items,” says Gutierrez. While the demand for gender-inclusive fashion has grown in popularity, public backlash from right-wing media has forced companies to finally take a stance on LGBT+ rights. For Target, it responded by removing some of its Pride merchandise from stores, much to the dismay of its queer customers and LGBT+ allies. “It’s terribly disappointing that Target is caving in to threats of violence from anti-LGBTQ bigots by removing Pride Month displays,” tweeted Jon Cooper, Democratic majority leader of New York’s Suffolk County. “If these extremists decide to attack displays celebrating Black History Month next, will Target remove those as well?” “Target should not be responding so easily to criticism and threats from the likes of the Proud Boys,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “Target should put the products back on the shelves and ensure [its] Pride displays are visible on the floors, not pushed into the proverbial closet. That’s what the bullies want. Target must be better.” The backlash has shown real financial consequences for companies too. Weeks after Anheuser-Busch received pushback from conservative public figures over its partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney – notably Kid Rock, who posted a video of himself shooting cases of (purchased) Bud Light – the company released an underwhelming statement that it “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people”. However, Anheuser-Busch made no mention of Mulvaney, nor the transphobic rhetoric perpetuated during the backlash. Not only did Bud Light’s retail sales in the US drop 24 per cent in early June, but the Human Rights Campaign has rescinded the company’s benchmark equality and inclusion rating. Emma McIlroy is the co-founder of Wildfang, a clothing brand based in Portland, Oregon, with the mission to rethink gender norms in fashion. For McIlroy, the recent financial results from companies like Anheuser-Busch are “terrifying” because it influences how brands will support the LGBT+ community in the future. “I think we live in a space right now where we’ve built a forum for divisiveness, and that’s what we’ve leaned into. None of it’s particularly shocking,” McIlroy says. “Once financial results take a complete beating, as a result of some of those decisions, that’s terrifying for me because I think you’re gonna see a lot of brands make different decisions, and that’s tough. It’s going to be very hard for other public CEOs to stand up for what they want to stand up for.” For others, they were disappointed to see Target facing such conservative backlash, considering the brand has largely been known as a leader in providing inclusive clothing during Pride Month. Unlike other major companies, the retailer has gone so far as to source small, queer business owners to join its Pride campaigns. JZD, a queer-owned, family-operated small business based in Texas, spent an entire year designing custom pieces for Target’s national Pride campaign. Ashley Molesso and Chess Needham, a queer and trans couple based in upstate New York, were asked to have items from their small gift and stationery company – Ash + Chess – featured in Target stores too. “Lots of companies have done a much better job of moving away from private labels, being inclusive of queer designers and queer brands,” says Rob Smith, CEO and founder of The Phluid Project. “I’ve seen that, this year, really come to light. I think Target is actually one of the companies that did it best, really creating much more space for queer brands.” While Target may have been setting an example for retailers during Pride Month, perhaps it’s when we look to major corporations to take a stance on social issues that we run into problems. Has the public outrage towards Pride collections become a turning point for corporate allyship? “I think every corporation really needs to decide where they’re going to stand in terms of who they think is their market,” says Sophie Bjork-James, an assistant professor of anthropology at Vanderbilt University. “Is it going to be a vocal minority or is it going to be everybody? I think that what we’ve seen, with some of the recent decisions by corporations, is that they are not completely sure what their stance is.” McIlroy thinks it’s a “non-starter” that companies should be prepared to support the communities that they “commercialise,” saying: “To do one without the other, it means you stand for nothing and it means you stand for no one.” It could be argued that Target did indeed take a stance on LGBT+ issues when it removed merchandise from its Pride Month collection. Some critics believe that, by rescinding its gender-inclusive items, Target “encouraged further acts of violent intimidation from the far-right”. Others may believe that none of this is Target’s fault, and that the company simply stood by its responsibility to protect employees. “I think a lot of companies are being reflective and thinking, where are we right now? Are we a company that’s grounded in culture, grounded in community? If you are, then yeah, go have a great Pride campaign,” says Smith. “But I don’t think it’s time to pull away. I do think it’s time to lean in. I think stepping away all together, for fear, would be really disappointing.” Despite the pushback from a small, but vocal minority opposing Pride Month, many queer designers believe the right-wing outrage actually draws more attention (and money) to small queer-owned brands, as well as the issues facing the LGBT+ community. However, showing support during Pride Month does not mean simply purchasing a T-shirt with a nondescript rainbow printed on it from your local big-box chain store. In fact, amplifying queer voices that often go unheard should happen year-round. “In the middle of this chaos, it just shows how much progress there’s been – that both of the largest retailers did have a collection for Pride,” says Gutierrez. “That’s why there was backlash, because it’s so big and in your face, that I want to take that as the winning moment. Like, look at that. We’re talking about queer rights now because you guys decided to come for us.” Read More Kohl’s threatened with boycott over Pride-themed clothes after Target forced to remove collection over threats Trans designer behind Target’s Pride collection flooded with orders as he responds to backlash Starbucks denies claims that it's banning Pride displays but union organizers are skeptical Rihanna steps down as CEO of Savage X Fenty Glastonbury 2023: All the best fashion at the biggest UK festival of the year Sarah Jessica Parker rewears iconic Vivienne Westwood wedding dress in And Just Like That

Rihanna has stepped down as CEO of her lingerie brand, Savage X Fenty. On Friday (23 June), the billionaire beauty mogul appointed Hillary Super, the former CEO of Anthropologie Group, to take her place as CEO. Rihanna has held the position since she founded Savage X Fenty in 2018. Rihanna, who will remain in a leadership role as executive chair, said in a statement: “It’s been beautiful to see our vision for Savage X Fenty impact the industry at such an incredible magnitude over the last five years. This is just the beginning for us, and we’re going to continue to expand in ways that always connect with the consumer.” “I’m so grateful and excited to welcome Hillary Super as our new CEO – she is a strong leader and is focused on taking the business to an even higher level.” Hillary Super was CEO at Anthropologie Group for four years, and previously held leadership positions at Guess, American Eagle, Gap, and Old Navy. “I’m thrilled to join the Savage X Fenty family,” Super said. “The brand is a major powerhouse in the lingerie and apparel industry, and its unwavering commitment to celebrating inclusivity and fearlessness is inspiring.” More follows… Read More A$AP Rocky calls pregnant Rihanna his ‘wife’ as she watches him perform in Cannes Pharrell Williams makes his Louis Vuitton debut in star-studded Paris show Rihanna and A$AP Rocky celebrate son’s first birthday

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Sarah Jessica Parker showed the power of upcycling outfits in the season two premiere of And Just Like That. In this reboot of classic series Sex And The City, Parker – who plays newspaper columnist-turned-podcaster Carrie Bradshaw – rewears one of her most iconic outfits: an opulent Vivienne Westwood wedding dress. Bradshaw wore this gown in the first Sex And The City movie, when she was left at the altar by Mr Big (played by Chris Noth). In the premiere episode of the new season, the characters are getting ready for fashion’s biggest night out: the Met Gala. Bradshaw enlists up-and-coming designer Smoke to make her outfit – the theme of the night is ‘Veiled Beauty’ – but due to various blunders, the outfit she plans on wearing doesn’t fit. So, she decides to look in her extensive wardrobe for a backup option – and what could be more fitting for the veil theme than a wedding dress? Bradshaw says in the episode: “I may have something. I’ve only worn it once. It’s not the best memory.” She wears the voluminous Vivienne Westwood strapless gown with the original blue feathered headpiece, a veil, and a turquoise cape made by Smoke. Parker, 58, told People about the “complicated” process of getting the iconic dress back. “We weren’t entirely certain that we could get the dress back,” she said. “It was in London and unearthing it was complicated — getting it through customs in time and then making sure was this, in fact, the original dress? The colour looked different.” In the first series of And Just Like That, Bradshaw ended up married to Mr Big, who later died suddenly. Parker wondered how they could bring the dress into the modern era, and told People: “How would we layer it and give it a new life, and have it feel modern and change the poetry that surrounded that dress from a lot of really painful but important memories that I don’t think Carrie really wanted to let go of, especially given this loss?” She even said it was “terrifying” to put the dress on 15 years after the first movie – but it still fits. And Just Like That follows the lives and loves of three characters from the original Sex And The City series: Carrie, Charlotte (played by Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), with new faces also joining the cast. Sex And The City ran for six series from 1998 to 2004, with two feature films released in 2008 and 2010. Kim Cattrall – who rounded out the foursome in the original series as Samantha – decided not to join the reboot. However, Variety has reported that she will make a brief cameo in the series two finale, where she will have a phone conversation with Carrie. Episodes one and two of And Just Like That series two are now available on Sky. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live AI to be used more widely in NHS hospitals 5 French skincare secrets you need to know What happens if you don’t wash your water bottle often enough?

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WASHINGTONU.S. President Joe Biden on Friday will sign an executive order designed to protect and expand access to

Whether you’re jetting off on holiday or simply promenading at your local park, sandals are the perfect solution to warm-weather dressing. That being said, finding city-appropriate footwear that doesn’t make you a target for mockery can be a tricky business. While getting some fresh air to your feet is essential during summer, sandals as a sartorial choice for men can be frowned upon so it’s important to carefully consider the dos and don’ts of baring those toes. So, is it really possible to wear sandals without having to sacrifice fashion over function? As expected, sandals were in abundance at the spring/summer 2018 menswear collections from outdoorsy Velcro types at Louis Vuitton and Paul Smith, to classic leather at Guiseppe Zanotti and even dual-strapped versions worn with chunky socks at Bottega Veneta. While the latter is a hit on the runway and beloved by geography teachers everywhere, for real-life wear a new focus on more contemporary and slick iterations means you can finally rock an open-toe without shame. Designer options are of course favourable but considering us Brits rarely, if ever, get a decent summer, it seems wiser to pinch your pennies at least a little. In this instance, high street brands like Cos, Arket and Russell & Bromley all offer sophisticated footwear options. However, if you’re looking for something more sporty, OG sandal brand Teva should be your go-to. Historically shunned by the fashion crowd, these simple sporty sandals are now considered cool. Even more so since their recent collaboration with high-end Japanese brand Porter. Whatever your choice, the even trickier dilemma comes with how to style them. The easiest way is to pair yours with shorts and a simple T-shirt, perhaps layered under a sleek Cuban shirt. However, for smarter occasions wearing sandals with trousers can be conflict-ridden. If you do want an alternative to the shorts and sandals combination, we suggest investing in a smart leather pair and to always team with a slim leg pair of trousers with turned-up hems, so as to avoid looking like you’ve taken a trip back to the Seventies. Read More London Fashion Week Men’s: Five key trends for SS19 5 French skincare secrets you need to know Carrie Bradshaw changes ‘painful’ narrative of wedding dress in And Just Like That Glastonbury 2023: All the best fashion at the biggest UK festival of the year

There’s a reason the French look is held to the highest standard in beauty. Everyone wants a piece of that effortlessly cool aesthetic, and French beauty products are some of the best in the world. Dr Marine Vincent, founder of The French Pharmacy, notes the French approach favours “a more minimalistic and effortless look”. She says: “French women lean towards a more natural aesthetic, prioritising a prevention-focused and holistic approach to beauty. “French women value taking care of their skin as a form of self-care and overall wellbeing. They understand that healthy skin is a reflection of a healthy lifestyle.” Plus, Vincent says “embracing your individuality and cultivating self-confidence are key elements of French beauty”. If you want to get more of a Parisian glow, take a look at some of these French skincare secrets… 1. Adopt positive habits early on “In French culture, skincare is indeed ingrained from a young age, and I believe it comes again from the wellbeing and holistic approach to beauty,” Vincent reflects. “We see it as part of our self-care, not as an option.” She says she learned the “significance of using quality products” growing up, and her mother “taught me to cleanse, moisturise and protect my skin from an early age” – with her first moisturiser from classic French pharmacy brand Avène. “Time has passed and I now gave the same advice to my 12-year-old daughter,” Vincent adds – now adding sunscreen into that list, which is “one of the most effective anti-ageing skincare tools”. Part of forming these positive habits is consistency, which Vincent says is “key in skincare, as it helps to maintain the skin’s balance and prevents common issues such as acne or premature ageing, so starting early will allow you to establish good habits early on, making it easier to maintain them in the long-term”. 2. Use French pharmacy products “If you’re looking for effective skincare without all the fancy marketing and high price tags, French pharmacy beauty products are definitely worth exploring,” says Vincent. “They’ve got a solid reputation for a reason.” One of the reasons they’re so good is they “focus on simplicity”, Vincent suggests. “French skincare brands often prioritise using key active ingredients that are known to work wonders for the skin. It’s all about delivering visible results without any fuss.” Look out for brands like La Roche-Posay, Avène, Caudalie and Bioderma – helping you get science-based, effective products without breaking the bank. Bioderma Hydrabio Serum, £20, Escentual Caudalie Vinopure Moisturizing Mattifying Fluid, £25 3. Try endermologie This secret is a bit pricier than pharmacy skincare products, but many French women swear by it. Endermologie is a treatment where a therapist uses a machine with various settings on your body or face. “It is very renowned for its amazing results, primarily on cellulite, sagging skin [and] body contouring,” suggests LPG Endermologie ambassador Nathalie Paradis. She says it’s “powerful” in “increasing firmness, but at the same time very respectful of the skin, especially when it’s fragile”. Endermologie isn’t quite a household name in the UK, but is much more prominent in France where there’s a more holistic approach to beauty. Paradis says: “We are facing a new era where beauty cannot be separated from health, and where people can benefit from this technology to reach their goals of wellbeing in an increasingly stressful environment.” Becoming increasingly popular in UK salons, it can also be used to treat scars or scar tissue. 4. Get the ‘French touch’ Vincent says thermal water spray is the extra “French touch” you can add to your beauty bag and use “all year long”. According to Vincent, some of the best uses of thermal water spray are before applying hyaluronic acid serums (you “need moisture to be effective”, she says), to “fix your make-up”, to refresh your face in summer and “to layer in between your skincare steps and add an extra layer of hydration”. Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray for Sensitive Skin, £15.50, Boots Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Spa Water, £9, Look Fantastic 5. Use a secret weapon Is cica cream in your routine? This is the nickname for centella asiatica creams and “long before [it was a] TikTok trend, all French women have one in their beauty bag”, Vincent says. According to Vincent, it’s useful for any skin irritation (cracked lips, burns, baby rashes, etc), dry areas (like elbows or knees), after sun, as a skin recovery mask and as a moisturiser. La Roche Posay Cicaplast Balm, £10, Boots Bioderma Cicabio Pommade – Repairing Ointment, £8, Escentual Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live What happens if you don’t wash your water bottle often enough? Prince George visits Eton with parents Prince William and Kate Middleton King Charles and Queen Camilla ecstatic after getting their first Royal Ascot winner

A year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, some of the Republican Party’s most powerful evangelical Christian voices are gathering to celebrate a ruling that sent shockwaves through American politics

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Medication abortion will remain legal in Wyoming for now after a district judge on Thursday blocked the state's ban on abortion pills, according to the Casper Star-Tribune.