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'Let Toys Be Toys' Organising Thread - Part 2

458 replies

OneHandWavingFree · 02/12/2012 12:43

"Let Toys Be Toys - For Girls, and Boys" is a campaign started by a group of Mumsnetters, to convince retailers to categorise their toys by theme or function, rather than gender.

We're inviting everyone to 'like' us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@LetToysBeToys) and join us right here for discussion and collaborative decision-making about the next steps of our campaign.

Himalaya has been hard at work compiling the information gathered by our fantastic LTBT Mystery Shoppers, and we will be agreeing right here how the surveys will be ranked, which retailers we will be targetting with our message, and how we will go about it.

If you think that girls and boys should feel free to play with whatever toys that interest them most, and that they shouldn't walk into a toy store and feel pressurised to conform into archaic gender roles and stifling stereotypes, please join in the discussion!

OP posts:
aufaniae · 05/12/2012 00:17

Himalaya great to see some results already :)

I'll set some time aside to do some websites this week. Having trouble walking any distance at the moment (pregnancy-related) so shops are pretty much out for now at least!

aufaniae · 05/12/2012 00:13

"I've had a reply from MNHQ after reporting earlier and querying whether it was ok to mention Mumsnet in connection with the campaign. The email I've had simply says:

Hi there,

Thanks for flagging - we're sure it's fine.

Best, Catherine MNHQ"

Have we had anything else from them? Did they ever get back to us to chat about what being an official campaign involves?

Himalaya · 04/12/2012 23:34

Some early results from the survey (but we still need more filled in please!)

Sainsburys comes at well
Argos website good, catalogue not so good

Not good are
TK Maxx
Wilkinsons
The Entertainer
Asda
Marks and Spencers

Boots, TK Maxx and M&S have their toys almost completely divided.

Wilkinsons, Boots, TK Maxx, Debenhams and the Entertainer all have big signs up, the other use a combination of colour coding and clustering

Of all the stores we have visited so far only 10% don't divide toys up by gender. 50% use signs.

If you are looking for a chemistry set in the stores we visited 2 out of 3 times you would have to go to the boys section.

A play kitchen is in girls in 75% of stores
Toolkit in boys 75% of the time
Construction in boys 75% of the time
Cleaning equipment in girsl 75% of the time

GeekLove · 04/12/2012 22:44

Signed and tweeted.

Only4theOlympics · 04/12/2012 22:43

I have shared. The great thing is that the majority of the likers are childless. So that is that argument for toy segregation screwed!

ashesgirl · 04/12/2012 22:40

Absolutely Smile

MurderOfGoths · 04/12/2012 22:37

In response to "why don't you want girls to have pink stuff?" you could always go with, we are happy for them to, we just want boys to be allowed to play with it too.

TheJoyfulChristmasJumper · 04/12/2012 22:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ashesgirl · 04/12/2012 22:28

Catmint, here's the petition

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/toy-retailers-in-uk-and-ireland-stop-promoting-toys-as-only-for-boys-or-only-for-girls-2

Have you been on our FB page too?

WomanlyWoman · 04/12/2012 22:27

Yayy Just got Sciencegrrrl to retweet us re BBC and petition!

TheJoyfulChristmasJumper · 04/12/2012 22:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ConsiderCasey · 04/12/2012 22:13

I like that answer AndifATenTonTruck! Bring it back to the campaign - because that really is what it's about - we want to encourage boys to be nurturing and take on parenting roles and that's not going to happen whilst toys steer them away from it.

MrsHerculePoirot · 04/12/2012 22:02

Brilliant! Have liked on fb, followed on twitter, retweeted and signed petition!

Catmint · 04/12/2012 21:59

How do I sign/ share the petition, please?

Arkady · 04/12/2012 21:57

Signed and shared.

AndIfATenTonTruck · 04/12/2012 21:53

The answer to that, joyful, apart from mumsnet having plenty of men, is "yeah, in the current adult generation it does happen that mothers tend to be the more involved in present buying, domestic example setting, education supporting, and so on. But what will happen in our children's generation if we let their toys indicate to them that caring roles are PURELY for girls and science, professions and manual labour PURELY for boys?"

Catmint · 04/12/2012 21:45

haven't been on MN for a while - this is sooo impressive! yay!!

WineGless · 04/12/2012 21:41

Petition signed and am sharing and retweeting like mad

TheJoyfulChristmasJumper · 04/12/2012 21:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Newsworthy · 04/12/2012 21:30

Thanks Ashes Thanks

feelathome · 04/12/2012 21:29

Not a particularly positive, supportive answer, is it?

TheJoyfulChristmasJumper · 04/12/2012 21:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BiscuitCrumbsInBed · 04/12/2012 21:14

I've signed and shared it on Facebook, sorry I don't have much time to do anything helpful but am cheering you all on. I'm in central London and might be able to help with some admin type things if it takes off but would rather not be on tv! I'll be watching tomorrow though, good luck newsworthy!

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