Using a Target bathroom got really uncomfortable really fast

[Capt. Obvious]

....

I was alone in the restroom. There were two large handicap-access stalls, complete with baby-changing tables, and two regular stalls. I headed all the way down to the farthest single stall, up against the wall, and I sat down to take care of business.

That's when stuff got weird.

The outer door opened, and someone came in. She walked past the three open stalls and stood directly in front of my door. Then she leaned over and placed her eye firmly up against the gap between the door and the frame and stared in at me.

I am not making this up. And let me tell you, it was awkward. Bizarre, even. This wasn't a case of someone hoping all those occupied stalls aren't really occupied. Mine was the only stall that was occupied. She deliberately stopped and stared in at me. My startled eyes met hers, and she moved away, into one of the larger stalls.

I got out of my stall as quickly as I could, and as I stood washing my hands, her voice called out.

"Sorry about that," she said. "But you know, Target lets men and homosexuals use just any bathroom now. I was making sure you were a woman."

....

SheKnows

This has gone off the deep end. I don't want any perverts peeking into stalls so I'm peeking into stalls.

[winter is coming]

1. That might be a good time to whip out your phone, take a picture,

and say, "I'm reporting you to Security as a pervert".

[elehhhhna]

3. wasp spray is accurate at 20 feet

[woodsprite]

5. That (or something similar) was my thought as well.

After all, a girl needs to carry mace to protect herself.

[MisterP]

38. most facilities have a fire extinguisher onhand if there's nothing else available!

[blogslut]

19. Better yet...

scream it loud as it happens: "Pervert! Help! Help! There's a pervert in the ladies room!"

[Warpy]

30. Or just use your outdoor voice

"DO YOU MIND? YOU FUCKING PERVERT!"

I'm all for offending the self appointed bathroom police as much as possible.

[Dr. Strange]

31. No, do NOT whip out a phone camera in a bathroom.

That's a good way to get yourself arrested.

[lagomorph777]

46. Potty Party Perverts Piss me off!

[drm604]

2. Does Target have security people?

Maybe you should have reported her.

[Butterbean]

20. This. Glad you suggested it.

If it happens to me, I'm going to report the "pervert." Let them reap the rewards of what they've sown.

[sharp_stick]

4. It would be a good time to kick the door open

if it opened out.

Fucking wackos.

[Vincardog]

7. Second that. Kick the door hard. You don't want any of those preverts in there.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. This tale is full of ...

[HughBeaumont]

8. "men and homosexuals" . . .

. . . like they're two separate species or something . . .

[3catwoman3]

9. If the stall door is closed, it would seem...

...reasonably certain that the person within the stall is engaged in performing one of the bodily functions for which said stalls are provided, and will not be peeping through the cracks, unlike the perv outside the door.

[Rex]

10. Sounds like a good time for a can of bear mace!

Let the lady explain why she just has mace in that one eye!

[backscatter712]

11. Pepper spray. Straight to the fundie's corneas.

Seems pain is the only teacher that can get through to them.

[KansDem]

13. Hell, a jar of Target jalapeno slices will do!

Unscrew the cap and let the juice fly!

Waste of good jalapeno slices, though...

[mountain grammy]

14. Good idea

[keithbvadu2]

12. Well , that was her excuse for taking a good long peek.

[Initech]

15. This is getting fucking scary.

[Capt. Obvious]

16. Image

[AZ Progressive]

17. Talk about a first world fear!

[lagomorph777]

18. God damned Potty Party Perverts Piss me off!

Next time, dial 911 immediately and have the asshole hauled away.

[spanone]

21. how did she 'know' you were a women?

such bullshit

[Capt. Obvious]

26. She called in the village wizard to inspect her hyman

[spanone]

33. there is that.

[Javaman]

22. I would have told them I was going to call the cops for harassment.

this kind of shit has stalker written all over it.

these creepy bastards need to be taught a lesson.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/p/peeping-tom/

[BlueStater]

23. Yeah, I certainly wouldn't want to let any "weirdos" in the restroom with me.

Thanks, mysterious genital checker!

[AlbertCat]

24. Target lets men and homosexuals use just any bathroom now.

No.

Target lets people who identify as women use the women's bathroom, and those who identify as men use the men's bathroom.

Trans is not a drag act. It's not an act at all. In fact it's the opposite of an act.

That's what stupid people don't seem to get.

It's akin to the "homosexuality is a choice" lie.

[NoMoreRepugs]

25. hermetically sealed peeper proof stalls are the answer

[ohnoyoudidnt]

27. .

[Fast Walker 52]

35. I love that so much... it is so amazing how little self-awareness these idiots have

[uponit7771]

40. +1

[Mnpaul]

49. New excuse?

for Larry Craig

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

28. This rings as true as the Whole Foods Cake Episode

Even crazies can wait until you walk out of the stall to look you over.

I hate, hate, hate it when attention seekers get caught lying about serious issues that affect real people.

(The only people who have ever peeped in at me have never been more than four years old. )

[jtuck004]

29. Mace them, run, call the police. That was a sexual assault and she should be arrested.n/t

[eShirl]

32. One day these homophobes will assault each other in an epic misunderstanding.

[snort]

34. Did you bring a spork?

[valerief]

36. Fuckin' religion. It makes the world crazy. nt

[oberliner]

37. She wrote a follow-up to this piece

When I wrote my post about Target last week, I remember thinking, "I'm gonna have some yahoo comment that this is all made up. Or that I'm a biased liberal hack."

I know the story sounds bizarre. It was. A thoroughly bizarre event. And BlogHer decided to feature it, which led to a good amount of fan mail and supportive comments, and a few yahoos who called BS or called me names. Whatever.

http://www.singlemomtism.com/2016/05/i-went-viral-and-wow-has-this-been.html#more

[Skittles]

39. I would have kicked her peeper ass

oh yes

[Dorian Gray]

41. Sometimes

comebacks come to me too late. But the obvious thing to say in this case would be: "You're worried about perverts coming into the bathroom and making the ladies room an uncomfortable place for us? Because where I sit, that person is you."

[Capt. Obvious]

42. When in doubt, always go to the Jerk Store comeback

[DawgHouse]

44. LOL, that's funny!

[Dorian Gray]

45. Ha ha

[salin]

48. Same idea - variation:

So because you are worried about someone peeping in on you while you are 'doing your business', you 'peeped in on me' while I was doing my business? How about we just ban people who 'peep in on' others while they are doing their business, from using these bathrooms?

[mcar]

43. That is seriously disturbed

Spying on a person in a closed stall is just sick.

[Bigredhunk]

47. Ugh!

My gf is dealing with this at her school now (she's a teacher). Idiot f*cking conservative boys were storming into the girl's bathroom to prove a non-point ("See! We told you this would happen!&quot . People are getting into physical fights over it. The school is having meetings about it over the next few school days.

[JI7]

50. what a fucked up person

[DisgustipatedinCA]

51. I believe I'd kick the door hard enough to make the idiot regret it.