If you don’t know about what’s going on at Target, then you should.
Target is every college girl’s life-blood. I, for one, probably go there once a week. Even if I don’t buy anything, there’s just something about that red and white department store that keeps me coming back for more. The crafts section isn’t even that good, but literally everything else is that good. Where else can I simultaneously feed my Starbucks addiction AND my fulfill my need to buy matching towels, curtains, bed sheets, and duvet covers? (Hint: Not Wal-Mart)
So recently this wonderful piece of paradise I just described made the decision to incorporate gender-neutral bathrooms, and because of this decision, social media is blowing up. Beyoncé dropped another surprise album and still, everyone is talking about Target’s gender-neutral bathrooms.
There has been an overwhelmingly negative reaction to what I think is a really positive thing. I’m openly a supporter of LGBTQA rights, and my hope for the movement Target started would be that it would start a positive conversation about the inclusion of the LGBTQA population, especially trans people and those questioning where they belong on the gender scale.
I’m a straight, white, upper-middle class female, and I know that I’m privileged. Because of that, I will never stop trying to include the people in the population who do not have the privileges I have had. One of those privileges? Using the restroom and not being worried about it because there’s a restroom assigned for my gender.
So here’s the thing: I don’t see anything wrong with gender-neutral bathrooms. I’m happy about them, because I want to do my best to make everyone comfortable. I may not always get my wording right, and I may be “problematic” from time to time, but I’m happy to admit to that, and I’m also happy to change my words and actions in order to include others.
One of the most popular defenses to what Target is doing revolves around a fear of pedophiles and rapists. Women, in particular, are worried that men will follow them to the bathroom and take advantage of them and no one will bat an eye because the bathroom is inclusive of all genders. But that doesn’t seem like an LGTBQA issue to me. But it does sound like a conversation I’m willing to have. Instead of continuing to participate in the oppression of LGBTQA people, let’s open up a dialogue about how women are scared to use a public restroom because they’re worried about being assaulted by a predator. Instead of telling a group of people who have never been able to openly belong, that they still can’t openly belong (even though Target is trying to let that happen for them), tell people that it’s not okay to prey on other people. Allowing trans people, and questioning people to use a bathroom isn’t infringing on anyone’s rights. It’s only infringing on their privilege. What it is doing, is getting people to talk about the safety of women and children in public spaces.
A conversation that I’m willing to have involves the protection of women, the inclusion of those otherwise excluded, and how much I freaking love Target.
