Don't Boycott Target Over Transgender Bathroom Issue: Here's a Better Alternative

Christian Post ^ | 04/23/2016 | Carmen Fowler LaBerge

[SeekAndFind]

Advocates of traditional family values are calling for a boycott of Target in response to the retail giant's announcement that they allow transgender people to use the restroom and dressing room that aligns with their preferred gender identity. The other way of saying this is that grown men have unrestricted and no-questions-asked access to bathrooms designated for women and girls.

Via their website, Target announced, "[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."

Critics allege that this move is less common sense than nonsense by putting women and girls at risk of increased predation because sexually predatory men will use Target's policy to gain access to female victims. These are very serious concerns, and should not be minimized.

So how can we act to protect the most vulnerable in our society and actually effect change?

Three considerations to tamp down the hair-on-fire call to boycott Target:

1. While it is true that sexual predators exploit the freedom and trust in our society, predatory behavior remains illegal at all times in all places. Target is on notice that there is concern and fear that their policy invites predation. They should be given the opportunity to prove to be a good corporate citizen by announcing specific plans to insure the safety of all people while in their stores.

2. We need to step back and acknowledge what's actually happening on a larger scale and deeper level. The culture has shifted and nonsense has replaced common sense in many sectors. What was once considered absurd now demands not only accommodation but cultural adulation. That brings to the reality that transgender people feel as uncomfortable in a restroom that does not align with their gender identity as you feel with the idea of sharing a restroom with a person whose anatomy does not align with the sign on the door.

This is complicated and culturally contentious but raising the alert level to full-scale-screaming does not help. There is a clear contest underway in our culture: is gender a God-designed binary reality or is it a mutable fluid of the individual?

If Christians start boycotting every corporation that operates out of progressivism's politically-correct profit-motives, our choices are going to be very narrow, our voice further sidelined and our influence further diminished.

3. The boycott war is neither persuasive nor effective. States, colleges, professional sports associations, global corporations and performers have all joined the boycott of states whose laws require that in public environments, people use the restroom that corresponds with their birth certificate. So maybe boycotting Target is tit-for-tat turn-around-is-fair-play. But what does that accomplish?

Maybe a corporate engagement strategy through Target stock shareholders or a proactive campaign that seeks to fight predation of women and girls and addresses the dehumanizing abusive bullying of transgender people would yield superior results. The current boycott war is only driving us further apart from those with whom we disagree and those whose challenges we don't understand. (And yes, I'll be escorting my minor children to the bathroom while simultaneously exercising my second amendment right.)

Alternatives to a boycott:

How might we influence the conversation without threatening withdrawal and boycott? Is being further sidelined and isolated really the most effective approach for Christians who hope to positively influence the culture? How can we help insure every person's privacy and protection, including women, girls and transgender people? Is there a simple and reasonable accommodation that satisfies all concerned? What about the addition of single access, single occupancy restrooms or changing rooms?

Suggesting that boycotting Target misses the target is not to say that as consumers and citizens we should be silent or passive.

Each of us and all of us need to be proactive about our own protection: if you are a woman and you are by yourself and need to use the restroom or changing room, ask a female associate to monitor the facility. If a person who presents as male seeks entry, the Target employee should inform that customer that the facility is occupied and currently unavailable. If they can't wait, they could be directed to the single occupancy facility. If they protest, they should be informed that although their right to use the restroom or changing room of their choice is Target's policy, that policy holds for every guest and team member. And the guest or team member currently using the facility has asked for a reasonable accommodation of their safety. And if we're talking about your child, you should be in the facility with them at all times.

Instead of boycotting, why not call on Target to insure the safety of women and girls while they are also providing reasonable accommodation to transgender individuals? Instead of widening the chasm why not find the common concern of privacy and safety which stands at the center of concern for both groups?

If you'd like to weigh in personally, call Target Guest Relations at 1-800-440-0680. Share your concerns on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/target.

[daniel1212]

I would suggest that Target needs to explain exactly how sharing a bathroom with a male makes a female feel like they, the female, belongs?

Indeed. Target infers those (mainly females) who are uncomfortable sharing a bathroom with those of the opposite gender do not belong in Target. Therefore they should agree with the boycott.

[Bob434]

Excellent response to them Daniel-

[jwalsh07]

Good on you Daniel.

[Yaelle]

Each of us and all of us need to be proactive about our own protection: if you are a woman and you are by yourself and need to use the restroom or changing room, ask a female associate to monitor the facility. If a person who presents as male seeks entry, the Target employee should inform that customer that the facility is occupied and currently unavailable.

---

Gooooooood luck finding a team member when you need to pee. I’m just sayin.

Best is to accompany all family members to the restroom who are fairly helpless. Kids and the elderly, disabled, etc.

Any male looking man should NOT be allowed in the woman’s room. A transgendered man to woman should be able to pass enough to use the woman’s room - they’ve been doing so all this time. And that person is not interested in molesting people.

[LYDIAONTARIO]

The goal of sexual perverts And muslims is to destroy Christianity. So a compromise in bathrooms : Male, Female, or, third choice- Transgender/Muslim room.

[Yaelle]

I would suggest that Target needs to explain exactly how sharing a bathroom with a male makes a female feel like they, the female, belongs?

---

EVERYONE favoring these rules needs to explain how helpless females using the toilet can feel safe with men in their restrooms???? All men not transgendering to a successful degree need to stay out. If you don’t appear a woman, stay out.

[Bob434]

[[ 3. There is no evidence that man/child sexual perversion is an issue for transgender people beyond the average norm.

The percentage of transgendered persons is too minute to make that a meaningful statement, ]]

Exactly- the left keep trying to bully the right by claiming that transgenders ‘aren’t known to commit sex crimes’, and this is all they want is for trannies ot use the bathrooms ‘they feel comfortable in’ (Which I call BS to- many were abused, turned to a sick perversion as a result, and in turn become abusers themselves- statistics show that abused people most often become abusers themselves)

The fact of the matter is that Any man will be allowed to walk into a woman’s bathroom, hang out for as long as he likes- and there is nothing the women and girls can do about it because IF a law officer tries to arrest that man, he will claim discrimination- Rapists, pedophiles, peeping toms, perverts of all stripes will only have to claim they are a woman and that they ‘can’t be discriminated against’-

This issue isn’t just about trannies, as bad as they are, it’s also about men of all manner of perverted stripes being allowed into a woman’s bathroom now- and nothing the left does can justify this argument that it’s ‘just about trannies’- it’s not! It’s about moral degradation and forcing society to accept it

[LYDIAONTARIO]

What name for female Eunuch???

[daniel1212]

I frequently use the HRC buyer's guide when making my choices.

You mean to shop at places that are not shop? Its worse than I thought. Amazon 85 (rating; Wal-Mart 90(!); Target 100;

Walmart as an example:

Policy Description

Rating

Non-discrimination policy includes sexual orientation for U.S. and global operations*

+ 15

Non-discrimination policy includes gender identity for U.S. and global operations*

+ 15

Contractor/vendor standards include sexual orientation and gender identity alongside other named categories

+ 5

Company-provided domestic partner health insurance (including parity in spousal and partner COBRA, dental, vision and domestic partners legal dependent coverage)

+ 10

Parity in spousal/partner soft benefits (bereavement leave; supplemental life insurance; relocation assistance; adoption assistance; joint/survivor annuity; pre-retirement survivor annuity; retiree healthcare benefits; employee discounts)

+ 10

Offers equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care

0

Organizational LGBT cultural competency (diversity trainings, resources or accountability measures)

+ 10

Company-supported LGBT employee resource group or firm-wide diversity council that includes LGBT issues, OR would support a LGBT employee resource group with company resources if employees expressed an interest

+ 10

Engages in appropriate and respectful advertising and marketing or sponsors LGBT community events, organizations, or legislative efforts

+ 15

Engages in action that would undermine the goal of LGBT equality

0

Final Rating

90

Versus Auto Zone 10:

Policies and Benefits

		Policy Description		Rating
		Non-discrimination policy includes sexual orientation for U.S. and global operations*		+ 10
		Non-discrimination policy includes gender identity for U.S. and global operations*		0
		Contractor/vendor standards include sexual orientation and gender identity alongside other named categories		0
		Company-provided domestic partner health insurance (including parity in spousal and partner COBRA, dental, vision and domestic partners legal dependent coverage)		0
		Parity in spousal/partner soft benefits (bereavement leave; supplemental life insurance; relocation assistance; adoption assistance; joint/survivor annuity; pre-retirement survivor annuity; retiree healthcare benefits; employee discounts)		0
		Offers equal health coverage for transgender individuals without exclusion for medically necessary care		0
		Organizational LGBT cultural competency (diversity trainings, resources or accountability measures)		0
		Company-supported LGBT employee resource group or firm-wide diversity council that includes LGBT issues, OR would support a LGBT employee resource group with company resources if employees expressed an interest		0
		Engages in appropriate and respectful advertising and marketing or sponsors LGBT community events, organizations, or legislative efforts		0
		Engages in action that would undermine the goal of LGBT equality		0
		Final Rating		10	Others: Ace Hardware 10; Trader Joe's 20; he Trump Organization 0;

[LYDIAONTARIO]

We’ve gone from; ‘Do not beat these people up, they are troubled and mentally unsound’ to; ‘How can we make them feel good about being perverted and shame ourselves for not accepting it?’

[daniel1212]

Praise God, and despite the initial warning of how busy they were, the wait for an operator after jumping thru the numerical hoops was less than 3 minutes.

[hattend]

I started my Target boycott when they banned the Salvation Christmas bell ringers.

Yep

[SuperLuminal]

What a steaming load of putrid obamcrap!

[daniel1212]

Once about 95 we were offering gospel tracts in church street station in Orlando, and i went inside to us the men’s room and passed a couple tracts out on the way, which i had been told not to do, but.. after i came out two security personnel were waiting for me, and took and finger printed me, and warned me that i would be arrested if i ever did that again. Outside was public prop. so they could not police there. But what a contrast.

[daniel1212]

All according to demonic plan .

But as all have sinned, may they and all find grace to repent and be born again by contrite faith in ther risen Lord Jesus.

[Cementjungle]

The whole thing is a losing issue for Conservatives, and we shouldn't be falling into the trap of even discussing it. It shouldn't be a Federal, or even a state issue... but Dems are making it so purely for political gain.

If people become uncomfortable using restrooms in any particular establishment, then they'll stop going there and spending their money. Let this happen naturally... and let the Dems deal with the fallout that will follow.

Republicans constantly fall for these stupid issues and wind up being painted as evil bigots as a result, then the Dems get their way anyway. Why bother?

[Heart-Rest]

Another Suggested Solution
I believe that most women do not want trannys, tweeners, phony trannys, and other assorted nutbags and fruitcakes in the women's rooms of America, and most men do not want trannys, tweeners, phony trannys, and other assorted nutbags and fruitcakes in the men's rooms in America either.   So, in addition to the normal men's and women's rooms, my suggestion would be that one set of facilities be set aside somewhere to accommodate all the "OTHERS" out there.   Perhaps businesses could set aside an unused area in the rear of the facility somewhere (or convert one of their unused parking spaces) into one of these special "toilet facilities" for trannys, tweeners, phony trannys, and other assorted nutbags and fruitcakes.
And, for those caught not complying...

[Gator113]

I already don’t shop at Target and I never will.

Boycott is a good thing...it’s hurts them where it’s needed to hurt.

[SaraJohnson]

Boycotts work just fine. Lawsuits are for sexual assaults committed due to Target’s carelessness.

[GOPJ]

As soon as one fake transgender molest a child in a bathroom it’ll be over. The fear isn’t about the one in 50,00 men who have had surgery to become a women - it’s about the lowlifes who will lie to watch naked women and children in bathrooms and showers.