California retailers who refuse to offer gender-neutral toys for kids would face $500 under Gov. Gavin Newsom's new bill signed in 2021.
The bill noted that retailers were required to comply regardless of whether they have been traditionally marketed for either girls or boys.
California Retailers to Face $500 Fine Under Newsom's Bill
Products for developing babies are displayed at a Target department store in Hollywood, California on September 2, 2021. - Gender neutral toy aisles could become compulsory in California department stores, under rules being considered in the state's legislature The bill will not ban separate areas aimed at girls and boys, but will mandate there must also be a place where dolls and toy soldiers sit side-by-side without being recommended for a particular gender. The regulations would also apply to pacifiers and feeding equipment, according to California assembly member Evan Low, who drafted the bill.
The legislation, Assembly Bill No. 10584, will be enacted on January 1, 2024. If the retail department stores do not comply with the new bill, the retailers will receive a civil penalty of $250 or $500. Department stores subject to the new laws have 500 or more employees physically located in California to sell childcare items or toys.
The bill explained that childcare items refer to any product that was designed to facilitate sleep, feeding children, relaxation, or to help children with sucking or teething. The toys were defined as a product designed or intended to be used by the manufacturer for children aged 12 and under.
Californian Democratic Congressman Evan Low endorsed the bill to the Associated Press. He said, "We need to stop stigmatizing what's acceptable for certain genders and just let kids be kids."
Low hoped the bill would encourage more businesses across California and the US to avoid reinforcing harmful and outdated stereotypes. He was also incredibly grateful to receive Newsom's signature and support on the bill.
The legislation came after the famous American retailer Target was slammed for selling Pride seasonal items in the spring of 2023.
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Target Faces Violent Backlash
Target faced a violent backlash to Pride outfits, including 'tuck-friendly' bathing suits for adults and pro-trans T-shirts for kids, which resulted in a plunging share price that wiped $10 billion from the firm's value in just over a week.
CEO of Target, Brian Cornell, decided to pull all Pride-related items from the shelf before the start of June's Pride Month after critics threatened to burn down stores and attack employees.
"I've seen natural disasters, the impact of COVID, the violence that took place after George Floyd's murder," he said. He added that it was his first time to witness store team members saying it was unsafe to come to work.
Target has publicly supported Pride every June since 2013 and 2014 and proudly endorsed marriage equality. In 2015, the store announced that they would stop dividing products such as children's toys by gender and introduced a gender-neutral line for children in 2016.
Furthermore, Target also announced that transgender people were free to use whichever bathroom they chose amid a nationwide discussion about bathroom access.
After three months of protests about bathroom access, the store spent $20 million to add a private bathroom to each of its branches. Cornell commented that the bathrooms were a good business decision and would be the right thing to do for society and their brand.
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