Well, isn’t this a familiar tune? Target is back in the spotlight, this time for firing a North Dakota employee who dared to wear “trust in Jesus” on her nametag.
Denise Kendrick, the former employee in question, apparently crossed some invisible line in the store’s dress code—one that magically doesn’t seem to apply to rainbows and other “approved” expressions. After public backlash and a quick internal review, Target has since apologized and offered Kendrick her job back. But let’s dig into the details, shall we?
According to Kendrick, her manager claimed the nametag violated Target’s dress code policy. When she pointed out that other employees have worn items promoting LGBTQ themes without issue, the manager’s response was essentially, “Too bad, you’re out.” And to really drive home the absurdity, when she requested a written explanation for her termination, the manager handed her a generic contact list and refused to elaborate. That’s corporate professionalism for you.
This situation stinks of selective enforcement. Target’s apology confirms as much, admitting Kendrick shouldn’t have been terminated. But let’s be honest—this incident isn’t about a dress code violation. It’s about the growing trend of corporate favoritism toward certain ideologies, while others—particularly Christian beliefs—are treated as if they’re taboo. Kendrick’s observation that she’s worn Christian-themed shirts without issue in the past only highlights the inconsistency.
After noticing that many Target employees were wearing LGBTQ stickers on their name tags, Denise wrote “Trust in Jesus” on hers.
Target fired her.
After getting legal support, Target apologized and hired her back. pic.twitter.com/sy371ixg25
— Daily Christian Tweets (@JesusSavesUs777) November 22, 2024
Target’s willingness to rectify this particular incident is commendable, but it raises a broader question: how often does this happen without the public hearing about it? After all, how many other employees have been quietly sidelined or punished for expressing values that don’t align with the “woke” agenda? It’s a fair bet that Kendrick’s case gained attention because it happened to make the news. Others might not be so lucky.
Here’s the kicker: this isn’t just about one fired employee. It’s a snapshot of the larger culture war playing out in corporate America. Activist-minded managers and employees increasingly weaponize company policies to silence or punish those who don’t toe the ideological line. And in this case, it was only after public scrutiny that Target decided to make things right. Call it damage control or a sincere correction, but the incident shines a light on the double standards at play.
A Christian woman in Fargo, North Dakota, was fired by Target for having “Trust in Jesus” on her nametag. It’s time to stop giving Target our business FOR GOOD! pic.twitter.com/JMIRRfNpZt
— Heidi St. John (@heidistjohn) November 23, 2024
Kendrick hasn’t yet decided whether to take Target up on its offer to reinstate her, but the message is clear. Corporate America needs to start applying its policies evenly or face the consequences of public backlash. Because if you’re going to preach inclusivity, it’s high time to practice it—for everyone.
