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Target: Nearly Half A Million People Pledge To Boycott Stores Over Transgender Bathroom Policy

By Pam Wright
Published on: 09:12 PST, Apr 24, 2016

Target has become the target of a boycott that is gaining momentum at a staggering pace.

In the wake of Target’s announcement this week that transgender employees and customers will be allowed to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, more than 416,000 have signed a pledge to stop shopping at Target, and that number is growing hourly.

The American Family Association started the petition after Target became the first retail giant to instigate specific policy on an issue that is becoming ever more heated.

The AFA voiced its opposition to Target’s new policy in a statement on its website.

“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.

“With Target publicly boasting that men can enter women’s bathrooms, where do you think predators are going to go?

“Clearly, Target’s dangerous new policy poses a danger to wives and daughters. We think many customers will agree. And we think the average Target customer is willing to pledge to boycott Target stores until it makes protecting women and children a priority.”

The movement #BoycottTarget has been gaining momentum since it was launched on Thursday. AFA President Tim Wildmon said “#Boycott Target has resonated with Americans.”

As reported by Yahoo! News, Wildmon posted an open letter to the public Thursday stating his position on the Target bathroom policy.

“Target’s policy is exactly how sexual predators get access to their victims. 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.”

National Christian group calls for boycott of @Target over #LGBT-friendly bathroom policy – https://t.co/SnT1kwa5rLpic.twitter.com/eRaJezVney

— RTV6 Indianapolis (@rtv6) April 24, 2016

On Tuesday, Target made clear how it stood on the transgender public restrooms debate when it announced the new policy on its website.

“Inclusivity is a core belief at Target. It’s something we celebrate. 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.

“We believe that everyone — every team member, every guest, and every community — deserves to be protected from discrimination, and treated equally. Consistent with this belief, Target supports the federal Equality Act, which provides protections to LGBT individuals, and opposes action that enables discrimination.”

Target’s announcement came soon after North Carolina passed a law requiring people to use bathrooms in public facilities that correspond with their gender at birth.

.@Target takes stand on transgender bathroom controversy https://t.co/SHgoCuB7Sypic.twitter.com/3SKfimrYLU

— CNNMoney (@CNNMoney) April 23, 2016

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Target boycott could very well affect the company’s bottom line.

While many remain quiet when states’ implement “bathroom bills” and other anti-LGBT legislation, it’s another story when a corporate giant takes a stand against discrimination, especially considering consumers can do something about it by not patronizing the stores.

Thousands of people are pledging to boycott Target over its bathroom policy https://t.co/ZFXKQvD2tZpic.twitter.com/ZHkAQ5bj6P

— FOX25 News Boston (@fox25news) April 24, 2016

By the way, the number of people pledging to boycott Target has risen by 4,000 in the time it took to write this piece. It now stands at 420,261. Every time the page is refreshed, the total number of people pledging to boycott Target jumps by the dozens.

What’s your opinion? Do you plan on boycotting Target?

[Image vie Target.com]

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