to be annoyed at the Blooming Marvellous catalogue, or should I just get a life and worry less about such things.

[Wonderstuff]

The pages on toys have upset me, 'girls toys' all have a pink theme and are all about playing house, 'boys toys' are a range of primary colours and themed around transport and construction. Have I actually woken up in the 1950s? Also have grandma's kitchen apron (but grandad doesn't cook obv.) and I love my granny, aunty or nan tea towels (cos washing up only done by female relatives)

Seriously is this a massive feminist backlash? Girls play at house while boys have cars and space ships and fire engines? Surely boys also play house and girls also like cars??

Or am I just reading too much into a stupid catalogue? I was

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

No, write and complain

Awful stereotyping grrrr

[RubyBlueberry]

I think you are reading a bit too much into it - you can always chuck the catalogue away!
But yes, I know what you mean. It's the same with clothes isn't it - girls, bright and funky, boys camoflage or khaki!

[MorrisZapp]

Totally agree with you but where have you been - all toy catalogues are like this. Argos is a dreadful offender, for one example.

Truth is that most toy buying people will think in terms of boys toys and girls toys, and toy companies buy and market their stuff accordingly.

[diddl]

But you don´t have to buy "boys" toys for boys, or "girls" toys for girls.

[doggiesayswoof]

YANBU

I hate hate hate all this.

Slightly different, but I noticed recently that ELC have started doing pink versions of most of their baby toys. So there is a shape sorter bus thingy in red and blue and yellow then you get the same toy in shades of pink.

I am astounded at the tea towels.

I may also need to get a life.

[HeadFairy]

You're not reading too much in to it, these things really annoy me too. Esp now I'm expecting a girl, I really don't want her to think life is all about cooking and cleaning for her. FWIW my grandmother is a terrible cook, can't boil water, my grandad was always the one who did the cooking in their house!

[WowOoo]

I was just thinking the same while looking through a children's furniture catalogue.

There was one lovely gender neutral looking room (apart from small truck and teddy), so i'll let them off.

Life is too short to get too cross about these things but if you have the time write to them. The reply might be amusing and you might get a gift voucher!

[HeadFairy]

I'm making a vow to not buy anything in pink if it's available in another colour for dd... I hate the idea that to feminise anything, manufacturers just pink and shrink them! Grrrrr, I hate pink!

[PacificDogwood]

YANB at all U! I hate all this as well. Toys, clothes, school stationary, FFS!!
I do not want my boys in navy blue and khaki (or, my pet hate, camouflage, aaaargh!!) from day 1.
And I know if I had a girl I would dispair at the see of pink and all in entails.
at tea towels, too!!

[Wonderstuff]

Glad it isn't just me I know lots of places do this but expected a bit more of blooming marvellous tbh, don't know why. The boys stuff could be brought for a girl, but the girls stuff is all very pink - why do dolls houses have to be pink and lilac? I have never seen a pink and lilac house.
When I was a child I wore chocolate brown and red, and my dolls house was yellow and green I think (the 70's fisher price one).

[GoldenSnitch]

Haven't seen Blooming Marvelous but the ELC thing annoys me. The Kitchen/shape sorter/steering wheel etc all looked just fine in thier primary colours or the original blue and red colour scheme so why make them pink too!?!

FWIW, all of my friends with girls have bought the blue/red things for thier daughters anyway cause the pink stuff is just way too sickly.

I have a DS and am now expecting a DD - she'll have the blue stuff too!

Those tea towels are awful - why do male relatives not dry up? Grrr

[Wonderstuff]

You'll be relieved to know that men do drink tea though! A range of I love my male relative mugs are available.

[HeadFairy]

PacificDogwood - even worse... pink camouflage

[Wonderstuff]

Just sent them this:

I have just got my catalogue and was suprised and saddened to see the amount of gender stereotyping. The girls toys which are very pink and all about playing house in comparison to the primary coloured boys section really annoyed me. I was also suprised that the tea towels in the gift section were all for female relatives - do men not washup? I thought I had been transported back to the 1950s! There are some lovely other products but these things put me off shopping with you tbh.

Not brilliantly worded but the form was really tiny.

[GoldenSnitch]

Maybe we should all write one....

[PacificDogwood]

Maybe all female soldiers in all armies should be made to actually wear pink camouflage, along with their nail polish and lipstick, so important in the trenches field..
I am so delighted with DS3's enthusiasm with which he pushes is toy monkey around in a (blue) toy buggy. DS was at buggy for a boy although he never had a problem pushing a real pram, to which I gave him back!!

[HeadFairy]

PacificDogwood, I'm sure Private Benjamin would approve!

[HeadFairy]

ds loves pushing pushchairs around the playground that he swipes from other children, my sister is giving him his own for his birthday on Sunday. DH is also a bit but I don't care... ds loves those little pushchairs!

[MrsSantosisafeminist]

No you are not BU. Write and complain. FWIW the little boys we know love playing with our DDs' prams, dolls, dressing up clothes. I make a point of getting my daughters cars and toolboxes as well as pink and sparkly things. I refuse to buy them hoovers, washing machines and the like. It just sends the message that they are expected to do housework. They do have a toy kitchen but hey, girls can be top chefs too (as long as you like plastic tomatos and a weird burger thing that looks like a turd )

[GoldenSnitch]

My DS has a (blue) pushchair bought for him by my MIL and a (blue) dolly I bought for him. He loves them both dearly.

DH, to his credit, is not bothered in the slightest.