Amid the controversial transgender bathroom bills passed in different states recently, Target has announced that they would be implementing an inclusive bathroom policy, which will allow men to use women's restrooms and dressing rooms. Due to this, more than 500,000 have called for a boycott of the company.
According to Time, a conservative Christian group organized a petition online to boycott Target due to the new policy. The group said that allowing transgender people to use bathrooms made for women poses a danger to "wives and daughters." The Christian group, called American Family Association, added that the policy means a man can simply say "he feels like a woman today" and enter the women's restroom even if young girls or women are already in there.
Part of the announcement of Target says that inclusivity is a core belief of their company so despite the controversial laws in North Carolina and Mississippi, they welcome "transgender team members and guests to use the restroom of fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity," NPR reported.
The American Family Association then called for Target to have a single occupancy unisex bathroom for transgender people to use. They pointed out that Target's policy is "exactly how sexual predators get access to their victims."
American Family Association President Tim Wildmon said in a statement that Target will lose a lot of customers who will not come back due to their policy. However, Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said in a statement that they are standing by their announcement noting that they certainly respect that there are a wide variety of perspective and opinions but as a company, they firmly stand behind what it means to offer their team an inclusive place to work. She also noted that hundreds of Target stores have single-stall restrooms who want to use that, USA Today reported.
The North Carolina and Mississippi anti-LGBT laws have been on the spotlight in the recent weeks and have been blasted by many opposing the bills. PayPal cancelled its plan to expand in North Carolina due to the law and bands planning to play there have also cancelled their scheduled appearances. In Mississippi, many movies had their supposed production in the state transfered elsewhere as well.
