The Tactics of Trans Bathroom Haters Just Got Even Creepier
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Anti-LGBT activists are sending men into women's bathrooms at Target in an apparent effort to undermine the chain's gender-inclusive restroom policy.
Target
Sandy Rios, the director of governmental affairs at the American Family Association, revealed Monday that the "pro-family" organization was "testing" Target's policy of allowing transgender individuals to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.
"I think there’s no question that when you say that there are no barriers in the bathroom," Rios told Brietbart. "[I]f men or women feel like they are men or women, the opposition of however they are equipped, and you have no restrictions, the net effect will be that people will not be stopped."
Notably, Rios added that AFA "already had people testing this — going into Targets and men trying to go into bathrooms."
AFA is one of several anti-LGBT organizations that have called for boycotts of Target, in the wake of the company's gender-inclusive policy update last month. After North Carolina passed a law effectively banning transgender individuals from using bathrooms that don't match the gender stated on their birth certificate, Target condemned the policy and reasserted its commitment to inclusiveness in a statement.
There's no evidence to support the idea that allowing transgender people to use whatever bathroom aligns with their gender identity poses any added threat to bathroom patrons, but fear-mongering on the part of organizations like AFA has fueled a debate about the issue.
If anything should make people uncomfortable while using Target's bathrooms, however, it stands to reason that having ostensibly straight men infiltrate women's restrooms ought to do the trick. ATTN: reached out to AFA in an effort to determine the number of men "testing" Target's policy, how exactly they're conducting these tests and what locations they've examined thus far. A representative for AFA was not immediately available; we will update as necessary.
[h/t Gawker]