American Family Association Calling for Target Boycott After Company Publicizes Bathroom Policy

TUPELO, Miss.—American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) is calling for a boycott of Target after the retail giant publicized its policy to allow transgendered individuals access to opposite-sex store bathrooms and fitting rooms.

“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. “Target’s harmful policy poses a danger to women and children. We think many customers will agree.”

Target announced this week, “[W]e welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity. … Everyone deserves to feel like they belong.”

AFA pointed to the very real danger posed by predators and voyeurs who would take advantage of the policy to prey on those who are vulnerable.

“We want to make it very clear that AFA does not believe the transgender community poses this danger to the wider public,” Wildmon said. “Rather, this misguided and reckless policy provides a possible gateway for predators who are out there.”

AFA also criticized the policy for ignoring the millions of customers who are simply uncomfortable with the presence of strangers of the opposite sex in a personal setting.

“When Target claims that ‘everyone deserves to feel like they belong,’ did they ask customers who don’t want to use a bathroom with an opposite-sex stranger?” Wildmon asked. “Why doesn’t ‘everyone’ actually mean everyone at Target?”

Wildmon offered what he called a “common-sense approach and a reasonable solution” to the issue of transgendered customers: a unisex option.

“Target should keep separate facilities for men and women,” he said, “but for the transgender community and for those who simply like using the bathroom alone, a single-occupancy, unisex option could be provided.”

Wildmon said that risking the ire of a majority of customers was odd, considering that some estimates put the transgender community at a tenth of a percent of the general population.

He said he also realizes a unisex bathroom option would be an additional cost for Target.

“But so will a boycott,” Wildmon said. “If Target is truly committed to a solid policy that’s good for business—for everyone—and if they’re truly committed to the transgender community, the company will spend the money for a unisex compromise. Anything else smacks of an agenda-driven publicity stunt that stands in complete disregard for people who reject the policy.”

AFA is also using the hashtag #BoycottTarget in social media so others can communicate their views on the issue as well.

Earlier this month, AFA announced it was suspending its use of PayPal, which halted plans to build a multi-million dollar operations center in Charlotte after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed HB2 into law, which requires people to use the bathroom of the gender on their birth certificate.

A Target spokeswoman told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that the policy is not new, but rather a more overt “restatement” of an existing corporate policy.