Let Toys Be Toys has fallen

They have put up a new tweet in response to all the comments:

Thanks everyone for your comments, we do read them and reflect. Let Toys Be Toys has supporters with a range of views on gender, but crucially we unite behind the message that narrow stereotypes are bad for everyone. 1/2
Let Toys Be Toys
@LetToysBeToys
All children should feel free to choose the toys, books & hobbies that interest them and this remains our core message. 2/2

I had a phonecall from my DD's (SN) teacher today, to say that they'd had a talk on periods and 'it hadn't gone well' for DD1. She was very anxious, terrified, and said that 'she didn't want to be a girl anymore'.

I braced myself for a 'transgender chat', but instead the teacher said 'We asked DD1, if she doesn't want to be a girl, what does she want to be? She said 'a dog'. So we told her that dogs have at least 6 nipples. She said she'd stay as a girl.'

Job done. They'd recognised that she was saying she didn't want to be 'a girl', because being 'a girl' can be frightening and overwhelming at 13, with all the changes that go on in your body. Especially if you don't feel ready for it.

I know most girls wouldn't answer with 'a dog' if asked that question, but I'm pretty sure they are reacting to the same feelings, and expressing that they don't want to face this.

I can't get over the fact that this book is written for very young children.

The children targeted aren't old enough to be aware of the idea of gender identity,let alone be old enough to be questioning theirs.

Wholly agree, @MForstater. I'm so disappointed in LTBT for promoting the trans ideology. Sexist stereotyping is damaging to all, affirming those stereotypes is what the trans movement does.

I feel really sorry for transpeople who know damn well that it is impossible for humans to change sex who are caught up in this nonsense.

So bloody disappointing

I often marvel at footage of Rusty, Steve Strange et al and wonder if they'd have been 'transed' had they emerged in today's climate. Marilyn is quite GC I seem to recall.

OMG @ClingFilmApplications I think I was born in the wrong era, am so envious of anyone knocking around with the great and good of The Blitz etc! Such a fan of that scene and the music is unsurpassed (sorry off topic...)

it does not need to ally either with the gender critical camp or the transactivist camp it can just focus on the fact that all children have a sex, and toy manufacturers and retailers should not promote sexist stereotypes in their marketing.

Agreed.

I’m sorry this has happened to something you started. It was so good! I hope they do as you advise.

Language is the biggest issue.

Gender and sex are frequently confused. Transgender and transsexual are not understood - people aren't aware of the difference as defined by the "trans" community.

The language in the original GRA is woolly and ill conceived. It's caused much confusion.

It's spread to the interpretation of the EA; gender identity is not a protected characteristic. Sex and being a transsexual are.

The "trans community" are themselves split. Self id apparently negates the need for medical treatment that many have relied on heavily. There are significant layers of gatekeeping that are important as for some people 'transitioning' is not going to solve their problems. Yet it's sold as progressive and liberating.

Queer theory has become reality for some people who are then determined to get everyone else to agree that theory is biological reality. Few actually understand real biology and conflate intersex with trans. Believe you can actually be born in the wrong body. Which is at total odds with all other body positive and anti sexist campaigns.

It's a massive mess and kids need to be kept out of it by well meaning adults who don't fully understand the nuances. Leave it to the clinicians. Allow children and toys to be free.

Typed the above earlier, well said MForstater

Let Toys Be Toys was born here on the FWR board, and it is one of the things I am most proud to have been involved with in my life. I am one of several co-founders, but haven't been involved in a while. It is run by shifting group of volunteers as a grassroots campaign (not a company).

I hope it hasn't 'fallen' yet.

LTBT is a very focused single issue campaign. When we started it the idea of transing children really wasn't on our radar, but there is a natural fit between the campaign and being gender critical.

But I also know that there are people who support LTBT who believe in innate gender identity and who support the idea of affirming children's 'trans identity' at an early age.

Up to this point I think Let Toys Be Toys has done a good job of staying out of the trans debate (the question of how children with dysphoria should best be treated is one for parents and young people, doctors and medical research, not for political campaigns)

I think they should stick to fighting sex stereotypes in children's products and marketing.

I hope they recognise that it was a mistake to endorse two books by activists (any more than they should promote books for children promoting any other ideology). ... I suspect they may not have read them or realised quite how controversial it would be. They are getting ratio'ed on twitter.

I really hope they will withdraw those tweets and make a clear statement about the focus of the campaign -- it does not need to ally either with the gender critical camp or the transactivist camp it can just focus on the fact that all children have a sex, and toy manufacturers and retailers should not promote sexist stereotypes in their marketing.

‘Struggling with their gender identity’ means ‘does not behave according to societies stereotypes of how girls and boys should behave’. But why should only girls play with Barbies and dress in fairy costumes and only boys play with toy cars and dress as Batman? These are stereotypes thrust on children from birth and there is no reason for children to conform to them if they don’t want to. A girl who likes to play with train sets (like I did) or a boy who likes Barbie are not ‘struggling with their gender identity’ but are simply being kids enjoying the full range of activities open to them free of restrictive gender stereotypes. They should be left to get on with it without comment not set on a path of life long medication, mutilating surgery and sterility.

Yy, nauticant and so many others...

s1naidsucks- you sound hysterical. As if I’d respect the opinion of someone who uses such a sexist term. Maybe you should spend less time ‘supporting’ confused children into following stereotypes and more time educating yourself. I’ve obviously hit a nerve.

But there are hormonal differences between men and women and sometimes this can explain why some people feel more comfortable expressing themselves as a certain gender.

I really hope you aren't a teacher

Times are not changing. Girls can’t turn into boys
Boys can’t turn into girls

It’s really that simple

As a teacher I have seen many children struggle with their gender identity

That's a crock.

But there are hormonal differences between men and women and sometimes this can explain why some people feel more comfortable expressing themselves as a certain gender.

This is a load of tripe. Anyone writing this has no understanding, even at a basic level, of the endocrine system. It’s actually a travesty a teacher wrote this.

But there are hormonal differences between men and women and sometimes this can explain why some people feel more comfortable expressing themselves as a certain gender.

@Bathtime17 Could you provide a link to explain this please.

People do certainly have disorders of sexual development which can affect hormone levels- it's surprisingly common. I've seen estimates that increased testosterone in women (which generally has few negative effects, so gets missed) might be as high as 1% of the population.

I've never seen any research which suggests any link with Gender dysphoria, so would be interested to read.

Honestly I am so depressed by this betrayal by LTBT - it's a betrayal of all of us who have followed and supported them for years, as well as of themselves and their founding principles. You canot coherently or logically promote a book like that or any of this trans kids ideology and break down gender stereotyping in the way that they have always sought to do to date. Gutted by this doesn't begin to cover it.

Yet we have the transgender movement to thank for normalising the conversation about gender and gender expression

This statement is also a brain-fryer.

What do you mean Let Toys be Toys?

Why on earth does your campaign exist? Unless you were trying to disrupt the conversation about gender and gender expression because you'd seen a concerning and increasing push to lock it together with a child's sex over the last decade, through blue/pink and 'this is for boys', 'this is for girls' toys marketing.

You've been hoodwinked. The ideology you're championing in that tweet flies directly in the face of what you appeared to be have been campaigning for. Unless you believe sex = gender expression.

Until today, I would have thought I'd have been thanking you in fighting to normalise a conversation about the separation of sex from the marketing and assigning of pink-blue toys and connotations of sex-specific role toys to girls and boys.

Now, I'm not so sure!