#BathroomGate - Transgender or Forced Acceptance Issue?

by Kim D.

Businesses adopting the gender neutral restroom policy is about nothing more than trying to stay above the fray appealing to "Everyman." However, in doing so they are forgetting about the "Everywoman." Most women do not want to share the bathroom with one man, let alone tons of them. Take it just from me, one women living in a home with two males. Put aside the modesty factor and the possibility of pervert abuse, men are not the neatest when it comes to using the bathroom.

But is this new policy and cultural fad really about addressing the needs of the small transgender population residing in the U.S. or is it more about forced acceptance, much like the mandated servitude Christian photographers, bakers, and florists find themselves chained to when faced to either abandon their faith or lose their livelihood for denying services to gay weddings? Are business simply looking for the best way to avoid litigation? Opening restroom facilities to all in a gender-neutral manner will avoid offending the social justice warriors who are more likely to sue for forced acceptance. A simple disclaimer warning women to enter restrooms at their own risk could also avoid litigation if or when things go terribly wrong.

By all appearances, Target's new gender-neutral restroom policy specifically addresses sensitivities of transgender persons. Target explains its stance in this way:

Recent debate around proposed laws in several states has reignited a national conversation around inclusivity. So earlier this week, we reiterated with our team members where Target stands and how our beliefs are brought to life in how we serve our guests. 

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.

However, a video going viral demonstrates that Target is simply caving to what it believes is the most volatile political correctness issue of the day and are not focused on equality and equity:



The guy making the video was trying to prove a point. It's not about making a transgender male feel as if he is in an inclusive environment.  

Unfortunately, Target has achieved the opposite of what its stated intent is. Many women shop at these stores, and a good portion of them now feel unaccepted and disrespected by this new policy. It is no surprise that Target finds itself in a public relations quagmire. The American Family Association is "targeting" the retail giant and calling for a boycott of its stores until the policy is reversed:

Corporate America must stop bullying people who disagree with the radical left agenda to remake society into their progressive image.  #BoycottTarget has resonated with Americans. Target’s harmful policy poses a danger to women and children. Predators and voyeurs would take advantage of the policy to prey on those who are vulnerable. It’s clear now that many customers agree. Target shoppers are leaving their allegiance to the store behind—and by the thousands every hour. No store can withstand that sort of loss.

The American Family Association even goes further to ensure it is not advocating for discrimination of transgender persons.  The solution is for Target to install a separate gender neutral restroom for the instances where a person truly would not feel comfortable sharing the pee experience with a specific gender. It's a costly option for Target but the only one which would achieve the goal stated in its new restroom policy.