The transgender phenomenon: Targeting Target

Target's newly announced policy on use of its restrooms and fitting rooms has quickly become the hot-button issue among evangelical Christians. The retail giant's invitation to transgender people to use the room corresponding to their gender identity instead of their sex at birth has prompted a debate on how followers of Jesus should respond.

The American Family Association, as it is wont to do, called for a boycott. By April 29, more than one million people had signed on. Other evangelicals questioned such a tactic, writing blog posts to explain why they believe God's people should take a different approach.

My wife and I are no strangers to boycotts. We have wielded the boycott sword many times since the mid-1980s. For various reasons, we've boycotted Disney, Holiday Inn, all the major oil/gas companies except Exxon, all the national chain drug stores, two convenience store chains and one brand of ketchup. For years, we boycotted products made in China. The latter was a real challenge in the early and mid-1990s when we would try to find stuffed animals for our daughter.

We no longer default to the boycott position when a business announces policies that conflict with biblical standards of morality. We haven't ruled out the possibility of boycotting, but we have decided in recent years it is not typically the best way for us to be ambassadors for Christ in our community.

We shop at the Super Target near our home probably more than any other store. I visited that store one night last week to purchase a couple of items and to get the manager's name for an email or letter I intended to write. Instead, I visited with one of the executive team members. I didn't vilify her employer or threaten a boycott. During the conversation, I asked her if they expected the policy to result in a line of people waiting to use the family restroom, which can be locked. I also inquired about whether they planned to have a security guard posted outside the restrooms. This young lady did not act defensively but responded politely to my questions.

Linda and I haven't decided definitively what our response to Target will be in the long run. For now, I hope to continue the conversation with this Target team member and see what steps the store takes regarding this policy issued from headquarters.

My conclusion -- and recommendation to my evangelical brothers and sisters -- at this point is: We should allow room for Christian liberty on this one. Whatever a fellow believer/church member decides about the call to boycott Target, it is not an essential on which we should divide. And we should not cast recriminations at those who choose differently than us.

(To be continued)

* -- Photo attribution