Still cross about stall at primary school Spring Fair...WWYD?

OP, you are most definitely NBU! This sort of stereotyping does my head in!

A book is a book is a book and the idea of 'pre-deciding' what is for girls or for boys is ludicrous.

I am a teacher and it is so sad when children as young as 5 say something is 'for girls' or something else is 'for boys' - I always ask them why they think that. Rarely do they know.

We have regular chats about who likes certain things - stuff like 'ballet' is a big divider, because most of the boys all react with horror when they are asked. I show them some short videos of exceptionally strong male dancers, doing incredible feats of pirouetting and leaping and suddenly there are several who think ballet is 'cool' or might not like it much still, but at least understand that ballet isn't just pink frilly dresses and women dancers.

Gender stereotyping is sickening. And adding to gender confusion.

Sounds a daft idea for a stall in the first place- what would be the chance of anyone picking a book they actually liked? Why not just sell the books as seen then everyone can choose a book they like and no need to categorise them by gender at all.

I don't know, my son would be a bit fucked off with a book about princesses, he really likes cars and dinosaurs. But I suppose that's because I'm a diabolical parent.

I'm still wondering when someone's going to publish The Lists from which so many are working. The ones that lead to crap like this.

Nogrip, I'd love to know where IS a better place to challenge gender stereotypes than in a primary school setting.
The whole point of the brown paper covers is to open the readers' minds to authors/covers/genres they might not previously have considered, so if that is not something your children is interested in, don't waste your money. I expect the packs of books that were used lent themselves to gender labelling unfortunately.
Op, I would always feedback any stereotyping to a school/PTA. I know some people think it isn't a problem but all the little things add up to a big picture.

Ffs if a boy likes reading flower fairy books he's a boy who likes flower fairy books, he isn't a girl. And who the hell would say books about space, dinosaurs and trucks 'aren't for girls?' There are plenty of women astronauts, women archaeologists, women HVG drivers, they aren't men. Label with the subject and accept any sex can enjoy any subject, job done. No wonder girls are so unhappy and turning to the trans narrative when they're being given such awful messages.

I completely understand where you are coming from.

I hear your point about being overworked and volunteering in the area of gender equality. Would it be worth penning a note to the head teacher on the general subject and perhaps encouraging the staff to put this at the forefront of their decision making? and then also raising the issue with the PTA for discussion at one of their meetings so that the PTA can consider whether activities can be gender neutral. Even if this results in one or two small changes, or makes people think, you will have made a small step forward.

FGS, a primary school fair isn't the time to go on about gender stereotypes.

And yet, there they were, enforcing them!

As to boys not liking fairies, what the hell is Tree Fu Tom if not a fairy?

It starts at primary - emphasising that boys get books on engineering and mechanics, and mechanics, and girls get fluffy pink books about fairies and cup cakes. My previously pink loving 4 year old has come home saying that girls like pretty things and boys like cool things, and refusing to wear his previously beloved pink gloves to school, and that's with a family who's as non-conforming as hell. It has to fucking stop. Colours, subjects, and toys are for everyone

I've been thinking about this recently, as I've been going back and reading some of the classic Sci-Fi I read when I was a kid. Frankly, I'm astounded I got anywhere, because there's virtually no women in these books, and when they are there, they're shallow characters, there to provide a love interest or prop up the male hero. Foundation for goodness sake didn't even have a woman speak for the first 2 books! And don't get me started on Heinlein who reading again was a grooming misogynistic creep.

Also what BossWitch said. It’s SO depressing.

nogrip a primary school fair is EXACTLY the time to go on about gender stereotypes. DD1 likes fairies, and transformers, and ballet, and rugby....etc, etc.

I spend half my bloody time trying to unpick the gender stereotyping she’s picking up at school.

I’m with the ‘good idea poorly executed’ crowd. The theme idea would have been better.

Hesterton makes a good suggestion.

“Some people follow traditions and it is not your place to take away that choice.” But the issue of choice is already compromised; in these wrapped and labelled books someone has made a pre-determined choice about what a child may or may not like. So a choice is taken away.

if a girl is more into space and monsters and cars, the she can choose a book marked B

And we wonder why teenage girls are coming out as trans boys in droves... we've literally been telling them they have to choose to identify as a boy to express an interest in anything to do with science, tech, monsters, things that are not pink and covered in glitter!

But when 99% of young boys would say they prefer truck books to fairy books, that can’t possibly be personal choice.

I disagree, particularly in this day and age. Some of those children yes, but not all. In the big scheme of things I'm fairly gender critical, I was a "tomboy" as a child myself. That doesn't give me the right to deny my son his choices if they fall in line with gender stereotypes, so you certainly have no right to.

Tbh I suspect that if you made the stall genuinely gender neutral it would become very unpopular very quickly. It only takes a couple of disappointed children telling their friends and then no-one will bother.

That goes for either sex - if a girl is more into space and monsters and cars, the she can choose a book marked B

Then why not mark them 'space/monsters/cars', not 'boy'?

I suppose it's a similar scenario to the presents on the santa train being labelled with childrens ages.
Santa was in a pickle when it came to my eldest who was a teenager at the time (14 I think) but had the mind of a one year old.
Did he give him a gift for a teenager or a baby?
I put him out of his misery and opted for the baby gift.
What's the point in him having something aimed at the average teen when he's still at the rattle stage.

In the garnd scheme of things I don't think I'd be too fussed about the "B" or "G" labels. It's just a lucky dip. The child will either enjoy the book or they won't.

But literally labelling some subjects as boy subjects and others as girl subjects is exactly the reason why girls don’t become engineers, boys don’t become primary school teachers, and we are worse off as a society because of it

It may have a tiny impact but I doubt it's the reason in the main. Role models, household work ethic, education has much more impact in a choice outcome than something being labelled as a boys or girls thing.

FGS, a primary school fair isn't the time to go on about gender stereotypes.
I think its a good idea personally, so the kids can pick an appropriate book. That goes for either sex - if a girl is more into space and monsters and cars, the she can choose a book marked B

As someone said above it's a great idea poorly executed.

I've seen similar marketed to adults as a 'book blind date' with a bit of info about genre and theme, so I think that's the way to go.

Next PTA: "this was a great idea, I wonder if we could label differently? Obviously a faff with books still wrapped from last time, but I'm more than happy to help."

Re the random apostrophe in a school setting- that sort of thing drives me nuts.
One time I was looking at a display at a school fair and a lady asked me if I liked it. "Yes, it's great, shame about the spelling on the labels!"
She had written them.
Op - I probably would have picked up a pen too.

I do not doubt you have done plenty of volunteering. But you will have a bigger impact if you don't deface the stall on the day (which obviously you didn't) but get involved at the planning/suggesting stage.

I'm right with you op, this would have pissed me off too. Little divisions and labels like this are the drip drip effect of sexism.

Bitterboy, any children's author worthy of the name e.g. Michael Morpugo, Ronald Dahl, writes for all audiences.

What would I do - join the PTA, get involved, have a discussion, and reach a consensus with those that have given up there time to help raise funds.

When bookshops do this they add a bit of blurb, so a book about fairies could be:

Contains magic, nature and flying!
Or
A magical woodland story

A book about space could be:

Contains planets, space shuttles and astronauts
Or
An out-of-this-world adventure

I think it’s a good idea poorly executed, so some constructive criticism would help them next time.