Is Target Waiting for the Worst?
TUPELO, Miss.—“Man Charged With Voyeurism in Target Bathroom.” “Man Used Cellphone to Record Woman Undressing at Target in Dallas.” “Man Seen Recording Women in Target Changing Room.”
These are just a sample of three headlines gathered by the Family Research Council (FRC) detailing how Target’s open-door restroom and fitting room policy makes it easier for voyeurs and predators to reach their female victims.
FRC already did the homework for Target, putting together a list of 23 documented incidents in restrooms in the U.S. and Canada. So the American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) is asking: “What will it take, Target, to reverse your restroom policy and welcome back the 1.46 million shoppers who are boycotting Target stores because of it?”
AFA is nearing the one-year mark of its highly successful #BoycottTarget initiative, which has sent the strong message to the retailer that its misguided and potentially dangerous bathroom policy is the reason millions of families are no longer shopping there.
“We can look at incident after incident and wonder why Target isn’t taking any action to reverse its terrible restroom policy that has not only alienated shoppers, decreased foot traffic in stores and caused the stock price to plummet, but has also endangered women and children in restrooms and fitting rooms,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “The solution is simple—keep men’s and women’s restrooms and fitting rooms specific for each gender, and offer the single-stall restroom as a gender-neutral option or for those who would prefer this extra privacy. These incidents are evidence that an open-door restroom policy is a gateway for sexual predators. And the number of sex offenders in the U.S. far outweighs the number of transgender Americans. So how many more incidents will it take for Target to wake up?”
AFA also sent an Action Alert last week to its more than one million friends and supporters, updating them that Target is still in denial about any relationship between #BoycottTarget and falling stock prices.
“Together we are making an unprecedented financial impact on a corporation whose policy is to allow men to use women’s restrooms and dressing rooms,” Wildmon told AFA supporters in the alert. “Target’s decision is unacceptable for families, and their dangerous and misguided policy continues to put women and children in harm’s way.
“We are working hard to reach 1.5 million signers to the Target boycott by the end of April,” he continued. “At that point, I will personally return to Minneapolis with an additional 500,000 names. I will then discuss how Target can invite 1.5 million AFA supporters back to their store by having a common-sense bathroom and dressing room policy that links use of these rooms to a person’s biological sex.”
AFA is offering several ways to reach the important 1.5 million-signature threshold:
- SIGN—#BoycottTarget pledge
- SHARE—Ask family, friends and church members to sign the pledge. One effective strategy is to voice concerns politely but firmly on Target’s Facebook page and other social media sites using #BoycottTarget.
- SUPPORT—Friends can make a donation to help AFA launch a comprehensive social media ad campaign to reach more who can sign the petition.
For more information on American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or on Twitter @AmericanFamAssc. Read more about AFA.
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To interview a representative from American Family Association, contact Jen Retallick, 610-584-1096, ext. 100, [email protected] or Deborah Hamilton, 610-584-1096, ext. 102, 215.815.7716.
