Target Fitting Rooms Are Not Just for Changing Clothes Anymore; Beware of Men with Cameras

TUPELO, Miss.—More than two years after its ill-fated announcement about an open-door policy in its restrooms and fitting rooms, Target still hasn’t learned.

This summer, yet another man took advantage of the retailer’s policy on bathroom and changing room use. Headlines like this one illustrate why the American Family Association (AFA, www.afa.net) is continuing its 1.5 million-strong and highly successful #BoycottTarget initiative. AFA presses on in reminding shoppers not to spend their money at Target—neither in-store nor online—as a way to voice their displeasure over the store’s dangerous and misguided restroom and fitting room policy. 

While Target’s policy is meant to be inclusive, AFA warns that sexual predators and voyeurs will take advantage of the policy—and they have—thereby putting women and children at risk.

This time, a man in the Detroit area allegedly took pictures of two sisters in a Sterling Heights Target changing room. Fox2Detroit.com says the same man was accused of doing the same thing earlier that day at a Target store in nearby Auburn Hills.

Target’s policy just isn’t worth the risk to shop there, AFA says.

“Even after two years of negative headlines, plummeting stocks and decreased revenues, Target continues to put women and children at risk, refusing to reverse its open-door restroom and fitting room policy, thereby enabling voyeurs and predators to enter the facilities with no questions asked,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “Frankly, the risk is just too great to shop at Target. Some may say they don’t plan to use the restroom or fitting room while shopping, but by providing revenue to the retailer, they are indirectly supporting Target’s actions and corporate decisions. Additionally, we all must think about our friends, family members and neighbors who may shop at Target and be unaware of the risks. And we must continue to take action and come together to keep everyone safe and steer clear of Target altogether—both in stores and online.”

Female shoppers talked to FOX2Detroit about their uneasiness after the recent incident. “It’s very creepy,” said one, while another added, “It makes you nervous to go in there because you don’t know what people are going to do.” Police reported that the man did turn himself in and an investigation was in process.

“The employees who are following Target’s policy are not allowed to question a male who, for example, walks into a female restroom or changing area and vice versa, because Target’s policy states essentially that men and women can use each other’s restrooms and changing areas under a ‘transgender bathroom policy,’” AFA’s Walker Wildmon also told One News Now, AFA’s news service.

Therefore, according to Target’s own policy, employees are metaphorically “handcuffed” from checking into why a man is entering a female changing area.

While Target remains steadfast in allowing men to enter women’s dressing and restrooms, the number of victims of sexual crimes occurring in its stores continues to rise. AFA is urging those who want to join the 1.5 million who have already signed the #BoycottTarget pledge—and push the numbers to 2 million—to take action in several ways:

• READ—See the newest Action Alert about avoiding back-to-school shopping at Target.
• SIGN—If you haven’t already, sign the #BoycottTarget pledge here. If you have signed, keep the commitment not to shop at Target stores or online.
• 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.
• VISIT—Go to www.afa.net/Target to keep up with news and to read some of the frightening incidents that have occurred at Target.

“As AFA has stated many times,” Tim Wildmon concluded, “our worries do not stem from fear of the transgender community, but rather, from both the real and potential threat that predators and voyeurs would take advantage of the Target bathroom policy to harm women and children—and there are plenty of incidents to show that they have.”

American Family Association is available to do immediate breaking news interviews via its LTN line at AFA studio headquarters. Contact [email protected] for more information or call 610.584.1096, ext. 102.

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 Deborah Hamilton, [email protected], 610.584.1096, ext. 102, or Emily Brunner, ext. 100