American Family Association to Attend Target Shareholder Meeting Today; #BoycottTarget Pledge Approaches 1.5 Million Signatures

TUPELO, Miss.—Target shareholders will have much to discuss at their annual meeting today, and much of the conversation will certainly surround the unprecedented and ongoing #BoycottTarget pledge spearheaded by the American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) in response to Target’s controversial and harmful bathroom and fitting room policy.

Today, June 8, a representative from AFA will attend Target Corporation’s annual shareholder meeting in Costa Mesa, Calif. As a proxy attendee, AFA will address Target’s board of directors and thousands of shareholders on behalf of the more than 1.3 million people who have signed the pledge to boycott Target stores until the company makes the safety of women and children a priority.

“AFA maintains that Target’s policy of allowing men to follow women and children into women’s restrooms and dressing rooms is just plain wrong,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “And more than 1.3 million Americans agree, with many more undoubtedly avoiding the store because of this dangerous policy. We look forward to not only speaking to shareholders but also learning from them about their views about how Target’s recent decisions have made a financial impact.”

Target CEO Brian Cornell has told top financial media outlets that the boycott has had little effect on the retailer. In fact, the retail chain has attributed lower numbers to a variety of explanations, including “skittish consumers” and “damp and cool weather,” reports Fortune.com. Cornell also told Fortune, “To date, we have not seen a material or measurable impact on our business. Just a handful of stores across the country have seen some activity and have been impacted.”

“Target is shrugging off 1.3 million people who are boycotting the retailer as a mere ‘handful,’” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “Concerned Americans should know that their voices are being heard, they are having an impact and that #BoycottTarget is making a difference. Second-quarter financial reports released next month will uncover the weaknesses in Target’s ill-advised policies and prove that American decency, along with privacy, safety and protection, are important to American families and are expected in places where they choose to shop. These are basic expectations and Target is refusing to meet these important standards.

“As AFA has stated many times, our worries do not stem from fear of the transgender community, but rather, from the real and potential threat that predators and voyeurs or anyone with evil intentions would take advantage of the policy to harm women and children,” Wildmon continued. “AFA’s #BoycottTarget campaign will continue as strong as it began, and we are confident that hundreds of thousands more will join the movement and voice their fears of Target’s policy. We will not back down from this very destructive and agenda-driven policy and will continue to fight for those who have already signed the #BoycottTarget pledge.”

On May 12, AFA hand-delivered one million petition signatures to Target headquarters in Minneapolis, after which AFA leadership briefly met with Target senior management about AFA’s concerns over the bathroom policy. Target executives reported that the company would not change the policy but would install private-stall family restrooms in stores not already equipped with them.

AFA is asking those aligned with AFA’s initiative to take action in the #BoycottTarget campaign in several ways:

1. Sign the #BoycottTarget pledge online.
2. Print the paper petition to distribute among friends and family members.
3. Print this AFA Pass Along Sheet to distribute among friends and family.
4. Call Target and politely let local managers know you are boycotting the store until policies change and how a boycott of this magnitude will hurt business. Find local Target store phone numbers here.
5. Share concerns on the Target Facebook page. When sharing on social media, use #BoycottTarget to help spread the word.

Also online, AFA is sharing the #BoycottTarget Alliance, which includes organizations such as Texas Values, Traditional Values Coalition, WallBuilders, American Decency, Mission: America, Illinois Family Institute, One Million Dads, One Million Moms, Faith 2 Action, Christian Action League, Family Council, Mass Resistance, Save California, Citizens for Community Values and the Florida Family Policy Council, among others.

For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or on Twitter @AmericanFamAssc.