(RNN) – Both Target and American Greetings have apologized to customers and say cards depicting a black couple kissing with the words "baby daddy" in the foreground will be removed from stores following social media uproar.
When Takeisha Saunders found the card, meant for Father’s Day, at her local Target in May, she took to Facebook to express her disappointment.
"You CANNOT be serious Target!!!! Really!!!?!!!!? This was the only Father’s Day card that featured a black couple!!!!!!" she wrote.
Saunders and other shoppers joined together on social media to notify Target and American Greetings, the company that made the card, that they found the card "insulting," particularly as it regards black fathers.
Seriously @Target???? Baby Daddy is not a term of endearment. This is an insult to black fathers and a slap in the face to the African-American community as a whole. There are plenty of black men that are EXCELLENT FATHERS, not “baby daddies”!!! pic.twitter.com/Q9OWRpBl0M
— LiciaYvette (@MsLiciaYvette) June 11, 2018
Both the verified American Greetings and Ask Target guest services Twitter accounts responded to the concerns, apologizing for what they say was "intended to be a playful husband card."
Target also will be pulling the cards from about 900 stores, according to a statement given to the Kansas City Star.
"We want all guests to feel welcomed and respected when they shop at Target," the statement said. "We were made aware of some concerns about this card last week… We appreciate the feedback and apologize. It’s never our intent to offend any of our guests with the products we sell."
Saunders thanked the store via Twitter but says many people were angry she was upset about the card at all.
One Facebook user posted the inside of the card, which Saunders said she hadn’t previously read, and she agreed it had a "sweet" message.
Merriam-Webster defines the slang term as "the biological father of a woman's child, especially one who is not married to or in a long-term, intimate relationship with the child's mother."
Some people disagreed with Saunders, claiming the term could be used sentimentally.
"I know lots of happy couples (of several races) that use that word in semi-serious affection. It's a legit card," one Facebook user wrote.
Still, Saunders claimed the card was racist, regardless of its intent, because "there were no baby daddy cards for teenage white girls running around saying it."
According to the Kansas City Star, the card is not exclusive to Target.
Looks like people are still real big mad about me posting my disdain over “Baby Daddy” cards. Oh well. I have a husband who is a father who is black let me get a card that represents that. Not this!! Glad it’s not just me. @target @americangreetings let’s do better pic.twitter.com/YhBUhRWCfO
— Takeisha Saunders (@Gagirlkeish) June 13, 2018
