The Target department store chain has announced that it intends go “gender neutral” in its stores by eliminating the colors blue and pink in displays and signage and getting rid of the words “boys” and “girls” on clothing and toys wherever possible.
In a statement posted to the corporation’s website, Target insisted that it “puts a lot of thought into how things are organized” in its stores and that the corporation is “listening” to customers who want a change.
“Over the past year, guests have raised important questions about a handful of signs in our stores that offer product suggestions based on gender,” the statement reads.
So, the company is now moving to reflect what it claims customers have said:
We heard you, and we agree. Right now, our teams are working across the store to identify areas where we can phase out gender-based signage to help strike a better balance. For example, in the kids’ Bedding area, signs will no longer feature suggestions for boys or girls, just kids. In the Toys aisles, we’ll also remove reference to gender, including the use of pink, blue, yellow or green paper on the back walls of our shelves. You’ll see these changes start to happen over the next few months.
Rachel Simmons, gender activist and co-founder of the group Girls Leadership, claims that Target’s move is a “huge deal.”
“It’s a huge deal that Target is going gender-neutral because Target is a trendsetter. Retailers have an incredible opportunity here. They’re opening up a whole world of possibility for these kids,” she said.
But not everyone is appreciative of Target’s politically correct campaign. Ohio mother Abi Bechtel recently made a splash on social media with a Tweet pleading for Target to abandon its effort to bow to the gay lobby. But her Tweet saw much opposition as well as support of urging Target to become gender neutral.
Betchel posted a photo that showed a new Target toy department sign that listed both “building sets” and “girls building sets.”
Along with the photo, Betchel said, “Don’t do this Target.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com