Early last week, I was scrolling through Facebook and I saw a post that caught my eye. The post was about why a girl can no longer support Target and will never again shop at their stores. Her reasoning was because Target has decided to take further steps in supporting the federal Equality Act.

On April 19, 2016, Target stores nationwide announced that they are "continuing to stand for inclusivity." Target says they, "welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity."

I felt so many mixed reactions to this news; I was so excited and proud to be a Target consumer because of the positive steps they are taking in the right direction toward LGBTQ equality in this country, but I was also appalled at the negativity, lack of support and backlash they received from many Americans.

The American Family Association is the biggest opposition to Target's newest policy. They called for a boycott of Target in response, and have received the support and signatures of more than 700,000 people.

While I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinions, I find it difficult to sit back and respect this opinion, because of the reasoning that the AFA gives for the action they took.

The AFA's concern is that Target is giving sexual predators complete "access to their victims." On the AFA's website, they elaborate: "a man can simply say he "feels like a woman today" and enter the women's restroom...even if young girls or women are already in there... Target's new policy poses a danger to wives and daughters."

This statement by the AFA is not only insensitive to transgender people, but also narrow-minded and ignorant toward men and the dangers they may also encounter.

The AFA seems to think that this policy is just a one-way ticket for sexual predators to abuse this right that transgender people should have already had. The issue with this logic is, what would have stopped sexual predators from entering a women's bathroom before? I doubt that this new policy will suddenly cause sexual predators to be more willing to enter a women's bathroom. They are completely disregarding the triumph of this movement that allows transgender people to feel comfortable with their gender identity and use the proper restroom accordingly.

What the AFA seems to be ignorant of as well is that women and young girls are not the only victims of sexual predators and sexual assault. While there is unfortunately a very high number of them, men are victims too. A woman also has the option to walk into a men's bathroom and pose a similar threat, according to what AFA believes.

The oversimplification of the idea that a man could say he "feels like a woman today" and enter the women's restroom is so insensitive to transgender people. They have had to struggle their entire lives by having to use restrooms that are the opposite of the gender they may identify with, and feel uncomfortable doing something that is a basic human right. The notion that one just "feels" like a gender is an offensive one. People don't just choose what gender they want to "feel" like that day—they are the gender that they were born as.

The Golden Rule is something we learn when we are little, and I think it has become very underrated in our society today: "Treat others the way you want to be treated." I've seen LGBTQ inequality amongst the people in my life, on my own campus and in the world one too many times. Solidarity is so immensely important, but it is missing in our world. Everyone has differing opinions and points of views, and no one is expected to agree with everyone else. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same and thought the same way. However, some people abuse being entitled to their opinions and use them to put down others in distasteful ways. Mutual respect is lacking, and we are boycotting companies who are finally giving equality that should have been given long ago. We need to make a change, and go back to the Golden Rule we learned long ago. Think about how you would feel if you were being treated this way.

I stand by Target, and will endlessly support those who strive for equality and for a more accepting society.