Over the past couple of weeks, the Internet has gone into quite an uproar over the recent change to Target's bathroom policies. Following the decisions made in North Carolina, a bill was passed requiring citizens to use the restroom according to the gender they were assigned at birth.Target immediately announced that their inclusiveness and acceptance attitude would extend to the restrooms, changing rooms and all other areas, encouraging guests to use the restroom they feel most comfortable in. As I stated in the beginning of this article, there has been quite a lot of commotion and opinions voiced to Target, and I feel it is fitting for a Target employee to make a statement.
I've been employed by Target for almost two years, and ever since my orientation, the idea of "Be you, be Target" has always been very accepted. Team Members aren't ridiculed for things like hair or skin color, tattoos and piercings, or their openness in their sexual identity. Our store leads focus much more on performance, guest interaction, knowledge and willingness to excel. It was so eye-opening and empowering to see my leaders with tattoos, piercings and such, while still maintaining an obvious level of professionalism, which is what Target always strives for. The bathroom policy is something that Target would have always supported, but since recently felt the need to verbalize and clarify. The goal is to make every guest's experience personal in every area of the store. Target saw the way that certain groups can become overlooked in circumstances like this, and decided to take a public stance.
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Now, if I can be so honest, the individuals who have an issue with the LGBTQ+ community when it comes to these decisions have bigger issues internally than a bathroom policy. An individual living their entire life as the opposite sex isn't something that is anyone's business as to where they do their business. From what I gather, a good majority of people know this, and are accepting of it. They are living their life as that gender, so they will use the respective restroom. That discussion is kind of open and shut, and close-minded people will have to take time to educate.
However, there is a much more predominant issue, following the issue of molestation of victims in these bathrooms and fitting rooms. I will go out to say this is a logical and realistic fear! But it does in no way make this policy an issue, rather, the people who would be doing these bad things.
I understand, for people with these fears, that the easiest way to retaliate against the fear is to fight all the changes to try to ensure it doesn't happen. But that doesn't provide any permanent solution, just temporary ideas that ultimately isolate individuals and let bad people continue to do bad things.
In my store, we have quite a bit of hatred directed toward the entire team. There will be cashiers that will be screamed at for the new policies, and leaders being sent hate calls and emails regularly. We have no control; lashing out only ruins the days of a few individuals who are just trying to follow the rules of their job. If you go into a Target and bring up the bathroom policy to a Team Member, you're only making people feel awkward and upset about coming into work that day. This was a decision that is bigger than any one store, and we want to provide the best guest service that we can, but it's disheartening to be ridiculed for the decisions that we can't control.
Furthermore, Target is making strives to become more inclusive. It's a good thing to provide great service in all parts of the store to all identities. Would I like to see the individuals who abuse these policies to be changed? Obviously, but it won't change how the media portrays the environment. Educate yourself and those around you, and take action of something that is unusual. If someone is harassing you in the bathroom, that will always be the issue first. Use the bathroom that you identify with, not the one to make a statement that will ultimately make a lot of people very uncomfortable. I hate being asked about this topic at work, because I try to provide great guest service on any given day, but instead I'm being asked which bathroom I use. That question makes me much more uncomfortable than what private parts the individual next to me has.
Overall, I love Target for standing by its beliefs, but I understand the concerns of these individuals. Take it up politely with your local Target, clearing up policies and procedures. If it makes you that uncomfortable and upset, I'd suggest locating to a different store that suits your needs best. To the individuals who want to abuse this system: it shouldn't be about you.
