Target has said it plans to spend $20 million to expand its bathroom facilities months after it announced transgender restroom policy.
In April the company said that it will allow people to use bathroom according to their gender identity. This policy was objected by many, as an online petition started by the American Family Association (AFA) to boycott Target received over 1.4 million signatures.
Target will now add single-toilet restrooms which can be used by those people who want privacy or those with small children, a spokesman said on August 17.
The AFA met with Target top officials and recommended the company to provide for unisex bathrooms for transgender people, in addition to male and female restrooms already being provided. But Target did not agree with the AFA's suggestion.
Cathy Smith, Chief Financial Officer at Target, told reporters at a press conference: "It's clear that some of our guests like and some dislike our inclusive bathroom policy."
"Some of our guests clearly are uncomfortable with our policy," she added.
The company said that its main aim is to create an environment at Target which is perceived as safe by its customers.
"At the end of the day, Target is all about inclusion," Smith said.
However, Target is not changing its earlier bathroom policy permitting the use of restrooms in accordance with gender identity.
Target has about 1,800 stores around the country, out of which some 1,500 already have single-stall restrooms. By the end of this year most will have such separate facilities, and the remaining will be re-equipped by early 2017.
In July, a man who identifies as a woman was arrested for taking pictures of a woman changing in an adjacent stall in one of Idaho's Target malls. He was charged with felony and faces up to 5 years in prison.
Protesters in San Antonio, Texas, demonstrated outside Target last week, holding placards such as, "Men don't belong in the Ladies room," and "Don't Target our daughters," according to local news reports.
One protester Norma Reyna said: "I've got nieces and nephews, and, nieces especially, and I'd be appalled if a man was ever in a restroom with them.. I would be afraid to let them go in there by themselves, so I'm walking away from Target altogether."
Another protester Craig Cihak said that he is not against transgender people, but against the bathroom policy.
"I love transgenders; I love all people, but I think it's not fair to put them in this situation, and we want also the other reason is to keep our boys and girls safe," he said.
