1.5 Million People Have Pledged to Avoid This Store for Memorial Day Shopping

After a long, cold winter in many states, Americans are ready for summer, anxious to start the season on Memorial Day. With picnics, cookouts and pool parties on many calendars, shoppers will be headed to stores to pick up last-minute items, barbecue fare and summer supplies.

But the American Family Association (AFA, afa.net) is reminding shoppers this Memorial Day week to steer clear from Target, which remains committed to its dangerous and misguided bathroom and fitting room policy.

Last month, AFA marked two years of the highly successful and effective #BoycottTarget initiative, which has garnered the signatures of more than 1.5 million Americans who say they won’t shop at the retailer until it makes restrooms and changing areas safe for everyone, including women and children. After a dismal downturn in revenue, stock prices and foot traffic over the past 24 months—and, more importantly, many traumatic and criminal incidents in Target restrooms—the retailer refuses to change the policy.

“Target executives still won’t acknowledge that the powerful #BoycottTarget movement has anything to do with waning business,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “But we know better. Millions of shoppers and thousands of families no longer spend their hard-earned money at Target. There is strength in numbers, and this significant community is making a difference. The refusal of shoppers to patronize Target sends a message to shareholders and Target executives that morals mean more than convenience and safety outweighs personal preference of shopping at what once may have been their favorite store.

“Just as important,” Wildmon added, “besides not shopping at Target for Memorial Day or anytime this summer, we remind shoppers to steer clear from shopping online at Target as well. Clicking through purchases may seem ‘safer’ than entering stores with dangerous bathroom policies, but shopping online still drives revenue to Target. It’s clear that families who have chosen to shop elsewhere—both in-store and online—are making a huge difference.”

AFA is urging those who want to join the 1.5 million who have already signed the #BoycottTarget pledge—and push the numbers to 2 million—to take action in several ways:

• Sign—If you haven’t already, sign the #BoycottTarget pledge here. If you have signed, keep the commitment not to shop at Target stores or online.
• Share—Ask family, friends and church members to sign the pledge. One effective strategy is to voice concerns politely but firmly on Target’s Facebook page and other social media sites using #BoycottTarget.
• Visit—Go to afa.net/Target to keep up with news and to read some of the frightening incidents that have occurred at Target.

“As AFA has stated many times,” Wildmon concluded, “our worries do not stem from fear of the transgender community, but rather, from both the real and potential threat that predators and voyeurs would take advantage of the Target bathroom policy to harm women and children—and there are plenty of incidents to show that they have.”