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Original poster

To think that this is the worst example of gender bollocks I've found?

348 replies

nenevomito · 18/08/2011 10:05

So the Studio Christmas book arrived on my doorstep yesterday. I once ordered some personalised pencils and have forever more been on their radar.

I have had to put it away as I am so fucking angry that they are selling shite like this.
I want to be Girls dress up set

A horse rider, a maid, a nurse a ballerina or a beautician.

A Maid???? Yeah set the bar high on aspiration there you knobbers.

So what about the boys set? Is it as pathetic?

I want to be boys dress up

A businessman, a pilot, an astronaut, a postman and a policeman.

How the hell have we got to 2011 where this shit is still acceptable. I am not saying that girls shouldn't want to be those things, but why the hell isn't the girls "I want to be dress up set" - Doctor, business woman, pilot, astronaut?

Maid???? You are SHITTING me Studio!

Then I made the mistake of searching for girls roleplay and discovered they carried on with the theme. Sure. Why not. Let me set aspiration and expectation in my daughter by dressing her as a maid and giving her the laundry set complete with pink fucking whirlygig washing line. for the Girls roleplay

I don't often rant on here but Angry.

OP posts:
Olivetti · 18/08/2011 22:01

I don't think there are enough girly toys these days! I grew up with Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony and Care Bears - where have they gone?? I want to buy them for my little girl. Grin
Oh, and I ended up in a male-dominated profession.

SiamoFottuti · 18/08/2011 22:01

Oh lordy you are tedious, its not a cheap shot to comment on your reading skills when you are misreading lots of posts and assigning comments to people who didn't make them! Piss off now if you're going to start with this shit, get over yourself and comment on the issues or not at all.

Olivetti · 18/08/2011 22:03

Ha ha - I haven't read this thread in its entirety (just the last couple of pages), but Siamo, your post made me laugh!

CRIKRI · 18/08/2011 22:03

Yes Puffin, you are so right. My first tricycle at age 3 was red (in fact, most tricycles in America were red then, to match the little red wagons I think,) and my first bicycle at 6 or 7 was most definitely blue. Thinking back to photos, most of my clothes were blue and green because they were my favourite colours at the time. Before parents could tell the sex of a child before birth, they were most often given clothes and toys that were green or yellow - also with the view that they could be handed down or on to children without a specific gender label attached.

I'm convinced this "pinkification" has happened only in the past 5 to 10 years. For those not quite old enough to remember, here are a few pages of toys from the 1976 Argos Catalogue. Spot the difference!

www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3590101278/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3589281613/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3590068958/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3590085978/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3589276287/

And from 1985

www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3592703271/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3593511768/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3593513852/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3592701081/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3593477222/

Yes, you see pictures of girls doing sewing, playing with dolls and such and boys with cars, but what is conspicuous by its absence (except on the Barbie page, which I didn't include) is wall to wall pink and the message that that not-so-subtly conveys about gender difference.

CRIKRI · 18/08/2011 22:04

Yes Puffin, you are so right. My first tricycle at age 3 was red (in fact, most tricycles in America were red then, to match the little red wagons I think,) and my first bicycle at 6 or 7 was most definitely blue. Thinking back to photos, most of my clothes were blue and green because they were my favourite colours at the time. Before parents could tell the sex of a child before birth, they were most often given clothes and toys that were green or yellow - also with the view that they could be handed down or on to children without a specific gender label attached.

I'm convinced this "pinkification" has happened only in the past 5 to 10 years. For those not quite old enough to remember, here are a few pages of toys from the 1976 Argos Catalogue. Spot the difference!

www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3590101278/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3589281613/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3590068958/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3590085978/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3589276287/

And from 1985

www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3592703271/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3593511768/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3593513852/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3592701081/
www.flickr.com/photos/38301877@N05/3593477222/

Yes, you see pictures of girls doing sewing, playing with dolls and such and boys with cars, but what is conspicuous by its absence (except on the Barbie page, which I didn't include) is wall to wall pink and the message that that not-so-subtly conveys about gender difference.

Gotabookaboutit · 18/08/2011 22:06

Ok - I actually now agree with the op and did not realise how much I was looking at it from my point of view, in that my child would not be influenced but that overall in society the pink invasion probably does have some impact. However Siamo - you are still a hypocrite and the I can be rude because its a feminist act is still a shit theory and I do believe its people like you that make feminism much less acessable to average/unaverage women in general.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 18/08/2011 22:09

Oh god you've sent me off on a wave of nostalgia with that 1985 catalogue. I had several of the toys. And coveted lots more Grin

tethersend · 18/08/2011 22:11

I've got that very Argos 1976 catalogue!

EuphemiaMcGonagall · 18/08/2011 22:12

I blame those ubiquitous fecking Disney Princesses, and the availability of cheap toys and clothes. There just weren't the number of products available in the 1970s.

SiamoFottuti · 18/08/2011 22:12

I'm directly responsible for lazy uninformed women not accessing modern feminism? Cool! Such power for little old me.

At least I'm rude for a reason. You're just rude. And dull. Kudos for admitting to changing your position though, I'm impressed.

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 18/08/2011 22:13

You should really sort out your house

Gotabookaboutit · 18/08/2011 22:15

Siamo - no you read wrong - people like you.

Gotabookaboutit · 18/08/2011 22:17

And I was rude for a reason - because it got such a rise out of you - you replied an full lot to someone who was dull.

I had changed my mind about page 3

TillyIpswitch · 18/08/2011 22:25

Fair play to you Gotabook - takes guts to just not return to a thread but come back and say you see the other side. :)

The thing is, I think it is easy to see ourselves doing it right and having a positive impact on our children; to see what's going on re, for example, pinkification and to reject it and to assume everyone else takes it with the same grain of salt. But then when you take a proper look around yourself it's so very clear that a). they don't, and b). the long-term effects are irrefutable.

SiamoFottuti · 18/08/2011 22:25

I'm very bored, what can I tell you.

People like me, but not me? Or people like me, including me? You're none too clear, and I'll like to bring it up at my feminist book club.

tethersend · 18/08/2011 22:25

Turn to the homewares section in the Argos 1976 catalogue, and you've pretty much seen my house, Puffin Grin

I collect old 1970s mags. I'm not sure if that helps or hinders the points I made on the thread, but TBH, I think they were lost long ago...

notlettingthefearshow · 18/08/2011 22:32

Oh, how annoying! I hate the whole pink / blue divide and the job costume thing is depressing.

NotQuiteSoDesperate · 18/08/2011 22:33

It's the same with books. I have been a children's librarian for 25 years and I cannot remember a time when there were so many pink/fairy/sparkly/princess/ballerina type books around. We didn't buy the "books for girls" type things and they disappeared for a while, but they are back with a vengeance (and I still don't buy them). :)

EvenLessNarkyPuffin · 18/08/2011 22:33
Grin
Gotabookaboutit · 18/08/2011 22:34

I mean people who say things like I'm rude because its a feminist act against the stereotypical female gender norms. Rather than I'm an opinionated cow don't you know and so up myself I have to mention my feminist book club.

Gotabookaboutit · 18/08/2011 22:35

But I was wrong about the op - and did enjoy being wrong because you found it so annoying but hey I'm bored

Cocoflower · 18/08/2011 22:36

Can I (do I dare) point out something that's quite obvious though.

Inequality and repression of women was far worse decades ago.

However, as several posters have now stated it was in these very times that gender specific toys did not exsist as much.

Therefore the colleration of material goods with sexisim would atcually show a decline of inequality with an incline of gender specific material goods.

Gotabookaboutit · 18/08/2011 22:37

There is a sea of pink tat and I'm glad my 6 year old does not want to swim in it but it does affect the way girls see themselves.

SiamoFottuti · 18/08/2011 22:37

hey don't undersell yourself, you were wrong about loads of things, not just the OP!