An online petition urging people to boycott one of America's largest retailers has reached the million-signature milestone one week after being launched.

Last week the American Family Association announced its boycott of Target in the wake of the company's reiteration of a controversial bathroom policy. "We welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity," Target announced. "... Everyone deserves to feel like they belong."

Responding via a press release, AFA said it was clear to them that the policy "poses a danger to wives and daughters." Believing that many of its supporters – as well as many in the general population – agreed with that assessment, the Mississippi-based group asked people to pledge to boycott Target stores until it makes protecting women and children a priority.

The petition documenting those individual pledges – launched on Thursday, April 21 – topped the one-million mark the next Thursday evening. The first half-million were logged in over the weekend and had grown steadily since. The boycott also gained the support of Concerned Women of America this week – and was the subject of a video released by a Tennessee pastor that has gone viral.

Wildmon

Boycott has 'resonated with Americans'

AFA president Tim Wildmon describes the Target campaign as one of his organization's most successful – and by virtue of garnering more signatures more quickly than any other effort, one of the most powerful in AFA history. "Everybody knows who Target is, and it's an easy-to-understand issue," he adds, attributing the protest's viral nature to those facts.

A statement from Target says the company "continue[s] to believe that this [policy] is the right thing for Target." USA Today also quotes a Target spokeswoman who points out that single-stall, family restrooms are available at hundreds of their stores "for those who may be more comfortable with that option."

But as Target continues to stand by its policy, Wildmon delivers this message to business leaders who might be watching with interest a movement he says has "resonated" with Americans:

"Corporate America must stop bullying people who disagree with the radical left agenda to remake society into their progressive image .... Target's harmful policy poses a danger to women and children; nearly everyone has a mother, wife, daughter or friend who is put in jeopardy by this policy. Predators and voyeurs would take advantage of the policy to prey on those who are vulnerable. And it's clear now that over one million customers agree."