Since the announcement of changing their bathroom policy to be inclusive to gender identities such as transgender, it has sprung a huge blackflash and controversy on whether Target should allow transgender people in public bathrooms in stores. Many customers are boycotting for Target to not change their bathroom policy due to biased opinions such as not wanting to not buy there again.
However, Target announced on Wednesday that they will add private bathrooms that will eventually subdue the debate and rivaling protests. They will be spending $20 million to these private bathrooms by the next following year. Target’s policy will allow all transgender people to use the bathroom they feel most accustom with.
Today, the company already has integrated uni-sex bathrooms into most of their stores, but it will add additional options into stores without the uni-sex bathrooms by March 2017.
Protests started to arise when the store announced their big change on April 19, 2016. Since that announcement they have been allowing customers and employees to freely use public bathrooms in stores that caters to their gender identity.
What made an unexpected turn was when North Carolina passed a law that perpetuates discrimination and inequality in the LGBTQ+ community. Not only it denies the right for transgender people, it denys from being able to use public bathrooms in schools and federal buildings. The company felt they should make a change hence the prevailing stand to get rid of exclusivity. Target wrote on their website, announcing the big change:
“We stand for equality and equity, and strive to make our guests and team members feel accepted, respected and welcomed in our stores and workplaces every day.”
The company fully supports the belief that everyone should be included, whether it be for cis people or for the LGBTQ+ community.
“Everyone deserves to feel like they belong,” The company states.
