Target Phasing Out Some Gender-Based Signs

Although some have criticized Target for the removal of gender-based signs, many are applauding the company for moving away from such gender stereotypes.

“We heard you, and we agree”, the statement read. As someone who was once a little girl who threw her Easy Bake Oven out a window (sorry, mom!) and also insisted on arranging her G.I. Joe’s by tactical skills, this is beyond wonderful news.

Clothing, they said, will maintain gender-based language to represent sizing differences. The store says they are working to remove that signage as well as any color indicating gender, such as blue for boys and pink for girls. The retailer said in a statement Friday the changes will be happening in the next couple of months.

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We never want guests or their families to feel frustrated or limited by the way things are presented”,

the company said. Even the design of the aisles would be changed to be more gender-inclusive, with toy aisles changed to include wood paneling. “But Caitlyn Jenner’s pictures had just come out”. So there was a whole lot of discussion about gender and gender roles anyway.

In fact in June, an Ohio mother’s tweet regarding a Target sign that labeled toys “Building Sets” and “Girls’ Building Sets” was retweeted thousands of times. Signs designating some items for girls and others for boys will be taken down.

In a post on their corporate website, Target said that over the past year, “guests have raised important questions about a handful of signs in [our] store that offer product suggestions based on gender”.