Target recently released a statement saying that their shoppers are welcome to use the restroom that coordinates with the gender they identify with. Target’s controversial announcement has resulted in countless novels on social media renouncing Target and calling for other shoppers to boycott the superstore. Some people, the more sane ones in my opinion, simply resolved to not use the restroom at Target as opposed to discontinue shopping there completely.

The statement came after North Carolina restricted use of restrooms; people are to use the restroom that coordinates with the gender listed on their birth certificate. Other states have also started to propose laws that basically legalize the discrimination of the LGBT community, following the 2015 legalization of same-sex marriage. In April, Mississippi passed a law that lets any person or business deny services to gay couples on religious grounds. Tennessee also passed a bill that could restrict access to mental health treatment for members of the LGBT community.

The biggest argument about this issue is that pedophiles and rapists can enter into whichever restroom they feel like entering that day. People feel like this could result in more sexual crimes against children and adults. However, many don’t realize that these crimes happen every day, whether the perpetrators are allowed to use whatever restroom they want or not. There are family restrooms that are gender-neutral, and no one has ever made a fuss about those. Port-a-potties are the same way and no social media novels have been written about those.

In reality, people are going to use whatever restroom they want, regardless of if the store they are shopping at makes it known to the public that it’s okay with them or not. All we can do is be prepared to fight back in the event that something bad happens, as we always should be. Those who are worried about their children being attacked while using the restroom by themselves should accompany said children to the restroom. The issue is not the transgender people using the restrooms that don’t align with their biological gender; it is people who don’t realize sexual crimes happen whether there are laws in place or not.