Target sign (Photo : Reuters)
There would no longer be "Boys" and "Girls" signs in the toy, bedding and entertainment sections of Target. The department store giant said on Friday that it would begin to remove the gender-based labeling in several sections.
The change is in response to shopper feedback and suggestions. Target teams are now going around its stores to identify area where it could phase out the gender-based signs to achieve a better balance, reports USA Today.
Besides signage, Target would also remove four papers on the walls in the toys section that were indicative of gender. These are the pink, blue, yellow and green papers. The store would still use signs and displays to facilitate consumers' navigation of the stores and shop more efficiently, but there would not be any with reference to gender, except perhaps the toilets.
Gender labels would also be kept in children's clothing section due to sizing and fit differences for girl and boy shoppers, noted Bloomberg.
What sparked the change was a photo of gender-based sign at a Target store in Green, Ohio. Abi Bechtel, a mother, posted the image that specifies the building sets are for girls.
Bechtel wrote, "It stood out to me as a good example of the way our culture tends to view boys and men as the default, normal option, and girls and women as the specialized exception."
Her tweet sparked debate. John Wilson disagreed with Bechtel's stand and said products are specifically made for a gender. Amy Severtsen Stanwood, in defense of Target, said the store does not say that genders do not exist. Rather, mixing superhero action heroes with other dolls would not confuse the kids' gender identity who are shopping for toys in Target.
