Target Boycott Website Shut Down for Being 'Hateful' in Opposing Transgender Bathroom Policy
The website for a campaign to boycott Target until the retail giant reverses its policies that allow male customers to go into women's and girls' bathrooms and dressing rooms if they identify as female has been shut down by the web hosting company, which claims its content is "hateful and discriminatory."
"Our #AnywhereButTARGET campaign has been so effective that at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving morning our Minneapolis-based web host (Leadpages) unfortunately SHUT US DOWN for being 'hateful' and discriminatory' to try to stop this movement!" Lance Wray, executive director of 2nd Vote, the organization behind the website, said in a press release, according to LifeSiteNews.
Target announced in August that it would address the bathroom controversy by spending $20 million to build new one-person unisex bathrooms in its 300 store locations in the U.S. that don't already have one, to allow more privacy for customers.
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What Target perceives as a solution, however, doesn't address their policy of allowing men to go into women's dressing rooms and bathrooms.
In September, the American Family Association listed 10 cases this past year of men found recording, taking photos, or peering into women's restrooms at Target stores nationwide.
The web hosting company, however, removed the boycott Traget campaign because it says it wants to only promote "inclusiveness."
"You see, at Leadpages, we strive to create an inclusive workplace that upholds the dignity of all people," Leadpages' Director of Operations Doug Storbeck wrote to Wray. "We value, respect, and celebrate everyone's individualities and honor their unique strengths from all different walks of life."
Conservatives have been calling on Target to reverse its controversial bathroom and fitting room policies, and have insisted that the boycott has contributed, at least in part, to the company's drop in sales.
"Target is hoping that you won't care that they allow men into women's bathrooms and changing rooms and will do your Christmas shopping with them. AFA knows that you do care," AFA Senior Vice President Buddy Smith wrote in a recent article.
Smith argued that despite Target claiming otherwise, its transgender facilities is a problem, and pointed to the 10 reported incidents that exposed why the policy is dangerous.
AFA President Tim Wildmon wrote in September that "Target's policy is exactly how sexual predators get access to their victims. And the proof keeps mounting."
"Clearly, Target's dangerous policy poses a threat to wives and daughters. Over 1.4 million people have pledged to boycott Target stores until protecting women and children is a priority," he added, referring to the conservative group's ongoing petition against the retail giant.
Target defended its policy earlier this year. "We 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."
However, Smith wrote in the article, "Let's hold firm to our conviction that men have no place in women's restrooms and dressing rooms and continue our pledge to boycott Target stores, especially through the Christmas shopping season."
