Boycott over Target’s anything goes bathroom policy is having an effect, but single private “Family Restrooms” are an inadequate response to legitimate concerns over privacy and safety in all Target facilities.
- People are concerned not just for their own family’s safety but also that of others
- Target’s response amounts to separate and not equal for concerned Christians
- Have transgender people use a separate private bathroom when their mental condition moves them to “feel” other than what they genetically are — that would be potty parity
Analyzing a Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MST) report of yesterday, both the MST spin and the Target spin. Our comments are in Red.
Target will spend $20 million to add private restrooms to store (excerpts)
Target Corp. will spend $20 million this year to add family restrooms to the rest of its stores to appease critics who were upset in recent months by its pronouncement that transgender people are welcome to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.
This is a corruption of language. Gender identity (what amounts to a feeling) does not trump genetic reality and such a sickness as transgenderism should not be pandered to at the expense of privacy and safety of others. The Target toilet and dressing-room policy inhibits prevention of voyeurs and molesters who can still take advantage of the free use of any of the more expansive “transgender friendly” restrooms, whenever they like.
All but 300 of Target’s 1,797 stores already have private, single restrooms in addition to women’s and men’s restrooms. Most of the stores that don’t have that option will be updated by November, and the final couple dozen stores in the chain’s fleet will have them installed by March 2017.
Private single restrooms — how many per store compared to the number of stalls in what were previously the men’s and women’s restrooms? Where will these new restrooms be, near the others?
The Star Tribune reported in May that the Minneapolis-based retailer would make the restroom renovations, and executives provided additional details in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday after Target reported disappointing sales in its second quarter.
“Some of our guests clearly are uncomfortable with our policy,” said Cathy Smith, Target’s chief financial officer, adding that the company wants to make sure it offers a safe and welcoming environment for all shoppers.
There is no safety improvement as regards the anyone goes restrooms, and what is welcoming about thumbing your nose at religious scruples and real safety issues.
While Smith acknowledged that it’s hard to tease apart the different factors that affect sales, she said executives do not believe the issue has had a material impact on sales. On Wednesday, Target reported a 1.1 percent drop in comparable sales, its first such slide in two years, and a surprising 2.2 percent decline in store traffic in the May-to-July second quarter.
A “surprising 2.2 % drop in traffic”, hmmm, no admittance of even partial cause and effect when a minimum of 1.4 million persons sign up to boycott Target just from one organization’s , (American Family Association) assertiveness. Beyond the boycott signatories what number “got the word” is unknown but we suspect that the actual number of boycott adherents is much more extensive than those who bother to sign a petition. The signatories influence others.
Smith cited the difficult retail environment as well as a slowdown in electronics sales, disruption to Target’s pharmacies during the rebranding of them to CVS Health, and misfires with its grocery department as the more likely factors that depressed shopping trips.
Consider this for a defensible portrayal of the financial effects of just the identified boycott participants. I extrapolate from personal experience and offer low-ball presumptions about others. Use your own judgement as to the reasonableness.
I live near a Super Target. The store is on a major retail “big box” avenue. A Walmart Super Center is on the same avenue, maybe two or three minutes farther out. I probably never spent more than sn average of three to four hundred dollars a year at Target. Call it $300. I would shop there if I happened to notice a timely ad related to something I was after, or due to convenience. It was not a seasonal thing as I do not spend much in Christmas shopping (we will look for the impact of Christians not shopping at Target during the Christmas season in the appropriate reporting period).
My spending at Target ended four months ago. That means about $100 less in sales for Target from me in the period. Call me mister below average Target customer but extrapolating the figure as if I were “average” and applying that to the 1,400,000 signatories on just the American Family Association boycott list amounts to $140 million in lost sales in the latest reporting period. But we suspect the number boycotting is much greater and their average spending higher. After the Christmas spending sprees forgone at Target, we suspect the impact of Target’s anything goes bathroom policy could be one-half to one billion dollars in lost sales.
We have no doubt Target has other serious problems impacting its bottom line. That is what happens with poor management that is out of sync with customer preferences.
Other retailers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom and Kohl’s have been in a sales slump as consumer spending patterns have moved away from apparel and other general merchandise and toward online websites, such as Amazon, as well as toward experiences such as travel and entertainment.
Except we suspect Macy’s and Nordstrom and even Kohls don’t really have the same regular clientele (customer base) of Target nor do they sell the same range of goods. But nevertheless we wonder how they did comparatively.
In April, Target made waves when it first announced its bathroom policy, saying it was the next iteration of its long history of embracing diversity and inclusion.
“Everyone deserves to feel like they belong,” Target said in its initial statement. “And you’ll always be accepted, respected and welcomed at Target.”
Not if you are a concerned Christian or Muslim or Orthodox Jew or anyone concerned about privacy or the voyeurs and molesters the Target policy encourages if not protects. Concerned Christians, Muslims and Orthodox Jews are to use the limited availability single-stall “family restroom” arguably identifying themselves for harassment (to throw the transgender “accommodation” argument back at the proponents)
The announcement came on the heels of North Carolina passing a law restricting bathroom use in public buildings to one’s biological gender, sparking a nationwide debate on the issue.
Target’s prominent stance on the hot button issue was cheered by some but jeered by others, particularly Republican politicians and conservative groups like the American Family Association. Many have loudly complained about it on social media. Some have said they would boycott Target stores because of it.
Indeed “Some have said” to the the tune of a minimum of 1,400,000 signatories to the American Family Association boycott petition.
In May, Target Chief Executive Brian Cornell defended the company’s position in an appearance on CNBC, noting that other decisions Target has made over the years, such as being one of the first retailers to include black models in its ads in the 1960s, haven’t always been popular with everyone. Still, in recognition that some people were uncomfortable about the policy, he said the retailer would install family bathrooms in all of its stores that don’t already have one to address their concerns.
The limited single stall “family bathroom” policy does not address legitimate concerns for the safety of others in the larger restrooms, or privacy expectations of the uninformed, or convenience factors.
While Target has been the loudest and taken the most heat for its position, a handful of other retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Starbucks have publicly stated similar policies. Meanwhile, others such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy have remained silent on the topic.
It is regrettable that some conservative outlets have implied Target’s recapitulation of a previously announced sop, its “family restroom” expansion, is a victory. The obstinance the degradation, the danger continues. While we think Target’s bottom line has been seriously hurt by their anything goes restroom and dressing room policy, we doubt Target will make any serious changes. Liberal obstinance is in the water up there in Minnesota.
The Target financial report is a clue for other retail store chains for now. Shop at Wal-Mart and Best Buy instead of Target. Buy your books on Amazon or Wal-Mart or other outlets. If you are conservative and buying coffee at Starbucks, well I don’t know what to say.
R Mall
As always, thanks to Branco for his illustrious cartoons:
