Target takes stand on transgender bathroom issue

Target Corp. weighed in on the national debate about which bathrooms transgender people can use, staking a position that is sure to elicit as much praise as it does criticism.

In a blog post on its company website Tuesday, the discounter said transgender employees and customers can use the restroom or fitting room facility that "corresponds with their gender identity."

"Inclusivity is a core belief at Target," the retailer stated in the blog. "It's something we celebrate. We stand for equality and equity, and strive to make our guests and team members feel accepted, respected and welcomed in our stores and workplaces every day.”

In the blog post, Target said it supports the Federal Equality Act, which provides protections to LGBT individuals, and opposes action that enables discrimination. It noted that that proposed laws in several states have “reignited a national conversation around inclusivity.”

“Given the specific questions these legislative proposals raised about how we manage our fitting rooms and restrooms, we felt it was important to state our position,” Target wrote.

Several months ago, Target announced it was phasing-out gender-specific signage in select store aisles, including those for kids’ toys and bedding. That move ignited a firestorm on social media. The transgender statement is likely to do the same.

To read the full statement from Target, click here.