Despite a sharp decline in sales, retail giant Target is standing firm on its decision to implement an inclusive bathroom policy. However, Target has been forced to make a compromise and spend $20 million for single-toilet bathrooms in at least 300 of its stores.
The single-toilet bathrooms are not for the transgender community, but rather for individuals who feel uncomfortable sharing a restroom with a transgender individual, according to the Catholic News Agency.
Target made the announcement to allow transgenders to use restrooms based on the gender of their preference back in April. "[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," Target announced then
A lot of people got upset with the retail giant's decision because doing so meant sexual predators would have better access to their chosen victims.
The American Family Association (AFA) then started an online petition for boycotting Target. The petition managed to get 1.4 million supporters.
"This means a man can simply say he 'feels like a woman today' and enter the women's restroom...even if young girls or women are already in there," the AFA writes in its petition. "Clearly, Target's dangerous new policy poses a danger to wives and daughters."
In response to criticism, Target decided to implement the single-occupancy restroom in 300 of its 1,800 stores nationwide.
But Walker Wildmon, assistant to the president of the AFA, does not think it's enough.
He says the addition of private restrooms "doesn't completely answer our concerns," since what they want is to have the inclusive bathroom policy changed.
Wildmon adds that the AFA is "confident that our boycott has played a significant role on Target's financial results that came out today."
However, Target Chief Financial Officer Cathy Smith thinks otherwise, saying there is no evidence to support the AFA's claim that the boycott impacted the stores' sales, which dropped by 7 percent from last year.
