Martin with Target marketing exec John Butcher

Towleroad points out that Ricky Martin not only has a special deal with Target, he also performed for its head honchos recently—yet another star crossing the lavender boycott line.

I like Martin and respect him, but I'm not sure why anyone would be surprised that he would not take a stand. Keep in mind this guy shook his bon-bon for George W. Bush.

I demand a recount. Still!

I guess he is of the Elton John school of "let's keep politics out of business." Or, as John would argue, let's not be the ones who refuse to extend the hand of friendship. Or, to be even more fair, perhaps Martin was giving Bush a chance back in '01; I always knew Bush would be a disaster, but I can see how those more moderate types would be searching for rainbows instead of hearing thunder. (And Martin later reversed course on Bush.)

To clarify my thoughts on Target: I hate what they've done and I am so not a mass-retailer boy in my personal life anyway, but I think flat out boycotting all the companies who are in some way harming LGBT rights is pretty tough. My family shops there, my boyfriend loooves Target (I could probably persuade him to avoid them, not that we live anywhere near one anyway) and I'm quite certain only a tiny fraction of gay people are actually going out of their way to avoid the place.

That said, while it is asking too much to expect music artists not to allow their CDs to be sold there, I think it's fair to at least ask people with power to avoid doing special deals with Target as a means of pressuring it on LGBT rights. I wouldn't burn anyone at the stake over it, but I did think it was nice of Lady Gaga to back off and I would think it would be nice if Jennifer Hudson, Ricky Martin (and the countless others, I'm sure) to criticize Target or back off their deals as well.

So what are your thoughts on Target? On boycotts in general?