Burlington Target Adds Third Restroom

Skagit County, WA – The Burlington Target is adding a third restroom, bringing the store up to date with a company policy set in 2016.

 

Construction on the single-stall, private bathroom is expected to be completed next week, according to a senior store lead. It will be located at the front of the store, next to the preexisting men’s and women’s restrooms.

Many large retail stores provide a third, “family restroom” for various reasons, such as allowing a parent to change their baby in privacy, or to assist their young child without having to make use of the opposite-sex restroom.

The private restrooms can also be utilized by transgender individuals concerned about using either the men’s or women’s restrooms.

In 2016, Target announced it would ensure all 1,800 of its stores had single-use restrooms. Of these, about 400 did not already have them, including the Burlington store. According to news reports, the cost to add the restrooms is $20 million.

The decision came after a much-discussed “bathroom bill” from North Carolina sparked national debate. The bill, called the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, requires individuals to use the restroom corresponding with the sex listed on their birth certificates.

Target’s statement on April 19, 2016 said, “We welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.”

Target’s stance on allowing individuals to use the rooms of their choice was controversial, sparking national boycotts and protests. A boycott pledge by the American Family Association gathered over a million signatures.

The organization said that Target’s position posed a danger to females and proposed “unisex bathrooms” as a solution, which Target eventually put in place.

It’s not the first time Target has weighed in on LGBTQ subjects, siding in favor of national policies such as the Equality Act.

Target’s CEO, Brian Cornell, has been firmly outspoken about their support of LGBTQ issues. He said the company took a stance and stands by it. He compares the position to the store’s decision to use racially diverse models in the ’60s.

“If there’s a question of safety–our focus on safety is unwavering,” he said in a 2016 interview with CNBC.  “We want to make sure we provide a welcoming environment for all our guests.” (Video link)

Here are Target’s statements on the matter.

“Stronger Together: Target Signs on in Support of the Equality Act” (September 10, 2015)

“Standing Up” (April 1, 2015)

“Continuing to Stand for Inclusivity” (April 19, 2016)