Texas Values Calls on Texans to Boycott Target
Austin, TX, May 4, 2016 – Today, Texas Values is calling for all Texans to boycott Target stores. On April 19th, Target announced their new policy that invites men that ‘identify’ as women to use women’s bathrooms and dressing rooms. Since then, Texas Values has helped Texans send tens of thousands of emails and phone calls to Target in protest of the new policy. Target has yet to respond. Texas Values has chosen to take the next step announcing a boycott of Target and urging all Texans to join the Boycott Target effort by signing the American Family Association’s national Boycott Target pledge. To date, over 1.1 million Americans have signed the Boycott Target pledge.
Texas Values President and Attorney Jonathan Saenz made this statement,
“Because of Target’s dangerous decision to invite men into women’s bathrooms and changing rooms, we are calling for a boycott of Target stores. This is the first time in Texas Values’ history that we have called for a boycott, which tells you how serious this issue is to Texans. Texans statewide can no longer be silent on the issue of protecting the safety of women and children. We need all Texans to understand that Target is using this radical change in their store policy to try convince people that our laws should be changed in this dangerous direction as well. Our goal with this boycott is for Target to change its dangerous new policy, to raise awareness of the real threats to safety that these policies bring and to help businesses and lawmakers understand the significant opposition to such measures that is growing daily. Houston voters soundly rejected what Target is doing, and it’s now clear that Texans all across our state must join this Boycott Target effort before someone gets hurt.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a letter yesterday to the CEO of Target, Brian Cornell, requesting him to send “the full text of Target’s safety policies regarding the protection of women and children from those who would use the cover of Target’s restroom policy for nefarious purposes.”
Tim Wildmon, President of AFA, recently stated why their organization has taken this stance. Wildmon stated, “The vast majority of people are uncomfortable using the bathroom while a stranger of the opposite sex is present” and “Most people understand the potential danger inherent in allowing men access to women and children in a private setting — where harassment, voyeurism or even abuse can occur.”
Target’s policy change comes in response to laws like Houston’s Bathroom Ordinance, that was soundly defeated by Houston voters (61-39%) and Charlotte’s Bathroom Ordinance, which was swiftly repealed by North Carolina’s new HB 2 law. Voters in others states have recently rejected these Target types of policies as well, such as Springfield, Missouri and Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The media has been making false claims that individual videos of men challenging Target’s policy in their stores are being sent by the American Family Association. However, the overwhelming number of these videos is a testament to public outcry.
About Texas Values
Texas Values is a non-profit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.