Earlier this week, Target officials announced that company officials “welcome transgender team members and guests to use the rest room or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity”.
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The boycott pledge was started by the conservative American Family Association (AFA).
“Corporate America must stop bullying people who disagree with the radical left agenda to remake society into their progressive image”, said AFA President Tim Wildmon in a statement.
The Mississippi-based Christian nonprofit called for a boycott of Target on Thursday, “after the retail giant publicized its policy to allow transgendered individuals access to opposite-sex store bathrooms and fitting rooms”, according to a press release.
“Everyone deserves to feel like they belong”, the statement concluded.
The retailer said on Friday it stood by that policy. “We stand for equality and equity, and strive to make our guests and team members feel accepted, respected and welcomed in our stores and workplaces every day”, Target said in a statement on its website.
While Target’s move was welcomed by some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community members on social media, there are others who vowed never to come back to the store because of the transgender bathroom policy.
Wildmon urged people to sign the boycott pledge, claiming the policy “poses a danger to wives and daughters”. “We think many customers will agree”.
Last month, North Carolina became the first state to enact a law prohibiting transgender people from using bathrooms and lockers rooms that do not correspond with their gender assigned at birth.
“Thank you, Target!” said another customer. This widely debunked reasoning is often cited as the rationale for such anti-trans “bathroom bills” such as HB2, recently signed into law by North Carolina governor Pat McCrory. “Or they should add gender-neutral rest rooms and changing rooms”.
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Supporters of transgender-inclusive policies such as Target’s policy note that they have not led to such incidents. The state’s House Bill 2 has caused a wave of reactions from those oppose to it, with PayPal pulling out a multi-million project, and performers like Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, and Cirque du Soleil cancelling their performances.
