to find this toy disturbing?

[Booboostoo]

DM bought DD (17 months) a happyland fun fair set which was such good fun I was looking through their other toys online for Christmas inspiration when I found this

www.elc.co.uk/HappyLand-Khaleeji-Family/134473,default,pd.html

I really liked the fact that the fun fair set came with little people from all races, but I find this toy disturbing. Aside from the burkas, what's with the men sitting on thrones and the women tending donkeys?

DP is trying to rile me over it, so I have come to MN jury for some sanity.

I wonder if this particular set is to appeal to shoppers from other countries, as well as British Muslim . Don't know if ELCS has branches elsewhere, or is a big seller for tourists

Lol grendelsmum.
I would buy this toy for my dd. We live in Egypt and I think it would be a great reminder of our time here. (But I also like barbies that wear burqa's)...

Freaky I don't quite understand your last post so apologies if I misread it, but the wheelchair toy is fantastic, are you suggesting that I would think otherwise? There is nothing in what I have said that would allow anyone to draw a comparison between the toy I posted about and the wheelchair toy. While I accept differences of opinion and even a bit of heat (this is AIBU afterall) I am not happy to have my position so grossly misinterpreted.

Damn, knew it wasn't a burka as I was typing, but couldn't think of what it was.

I fail to see how am I misinterpreting your post or how what I posted was not a fair comparison. You claimed you didn't want your daughter to aspire to cover her hair. I am wondering how playing with a toy that represents a different culture and depicts women wearing hijabs (alongside equally covered men) is going to encourage your daughter to aspire to cover her hair and face.

But what is there to be offended from. Male figures and female figures in traditional dress as part of a play set. You cant seriously take issue with where they have been stood for the purpose of the photo for the website?

I think the crux of it for me is that families who wear this dress exist. Toy manufacturers want to sell toys to people that represent their family. I can't see the problem. This isn't about aspiration it's about representation, in the same way that toy sellers should sell dolls in wheelchairs.

And your argument is bordering on prejudiced if you think certain cultures should not be represented.

X post Freaky

Sorry booboo, I meant that a response to Mooblies, not you.

best not buy a traditional nativity scene then - you know - with mary with her HEAD and BODY covered

seriously get a large grip - it is a toy

Spot on Jamie

Freaky sorry I still fail to see your point.

Is your point: playing with a toy will not affect a child's view of the world? If it is I completely disagree with you. Toys, books, how children are led to view the world shapes their view of the world. If children are taught to view women as inferior then they come to see women as inferior.

Including disabled action figures as part of play leads children to see disabled people as equal parts of everyday life. If some (or all kids) aspire to be disabled through this play, good for them. They can join wheelchair sports, learn to sign, etc.

I don't like the identification with a undesirable view of women, I embrace the identification with a really desirable view of disabled people, there is no direct comparison here.

How do you know the figures in white are men? They could be colleagues of mother Teresa of Calcutte...

I don not accept that this toy shows women as inferior.

You belive the culture it represents treats women as inferior. Different point.

what 'undesirable view of women' - are women not allowed to cover their heads or have religious beliefs then?

I think it's a brilliant playset btw!

DO you know, looking at this again...

Why would you not simply think there is a father (in white, with beard)... a mother (in white, no beard) and two children. One is playing in a tree and one is playing with a horse.

Maybe I'm just over thinking things here..............

There are ELC's in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Once again I am not offended.

As for the traditional dress argument, this is not simply a matter of a national costume and, to my mind, it is simplistic to think that this is all there is at issue here. THIS particular mode of dress is usually (but not necessarily, so please don't point out that not all Muslim women are oppressed, I am perfectly aware of that) associated with a particular view of women as offensive to the eye, in need of being covered up to avoid this offence and as ocuppying a specific and restrictive role.

I thought you were Mooblies which is why my response looks weird.

If children are taught to view women as inferior then they come to see women as inferior.

I'm not disagreeing with that - I'm failing to see how this toy is in anyway teaching children that women should be seen as inferior. How the toys were posed in a photograph does not reflect or impact on how children play with them.

Including disabled action figures as part of play leads children to see disabled people as equal parts of everyday life.

Replace 'disabled' with 'Muslim women'.

are you always this uptight in life OP? you seem the type to take offence where none is meant, and to be one of those people who turns everything into a PC issue..

there are many thousands of muslim girls and women in this country alone who cover their heads because they choose to

those muslim girls might actually enjoy being able to play with characters that are more relative to their religion/culture

women don't cover themselves because they believe they are offensive to the eye - blimey where does this stuff come from

you are a 3 year old child who's mum looks like that - are you not allowed to play with toy houses that reflect your life ?

OhlimpPricks the beard is a bit of a hint plus anyone who was buying it as it represented their culture would know the men wear a thawb.

So basically booboo you agree that not all women who wear the hijab are oppressed and forced to do so. Yet you still think that allowing their children to have a toy which represents their family norm, is 'disturbing'.