Kids’ Toys: More Gendered Than Ever
Writing for the Ms.Blog, Ponta Abadi writes: “If you’ve been to a store that sells toys in the last decade, you’ve already seen it: Toys today are often separated into blue and pink sections for ‘boys’’ toys and ‘girls’’ toys. ‘Boys’’ toys tend to involve aggression, such as toys that make punching or crashing sounds, while ‘girls’’ toys often revolve around beauty and domesticity.” Abadi says this practice— by both the makers of toys and the sellers of toys, who shelve and display them according to gender— seems out of place at a time when mothers are the main or sole breadwinners in 40 percent of U.S. households with children. Related Reading: Abadi points to a campaign in the United Kingdom that is working to change things. It’s called “Let Toys Be Toys,” and it is well worth a visit to the campaign’s website. See also an earlier article on the Ms. Blog, written by Emily Rosenbaum, who shows that gendered toys limit the options, experiences, and cognitive and skill development of both girls and boys. The article is titled “Gendering Toys Is Good for Nobody.”
Yes, I have definitely noticed that toys have become more gendered than when my sons were growing up. I thought it was hard to find non- aggressive toys then but even harder to find them now for my grandsons. It drives me crazy. Even the Legos are pink and blue. Thanks for these links!