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.

Dear God (invoke whichever one you choose), if you want shameless stereotyping, has nobody noticed these www.elc.co.uk/HappyLand-Cherry-Lane-Cottage/125417,default,pd.html are TWO UNACCOMPANIED FEMALES WITH ONLY ONE BEDROOM. Surely a disgraceful attempt to turn our girls lesbian??? Those twin beds are fooling nobody.

And more seriously, why does the Khaleeji family cost a fiver more for what appears to be the same house inside? Do we have to pay extra now for it not to be hideous pink?

It's got a posh mahogany bathroom, them toilet seats ain't cheap.

And you get two horses. You only get a wanky squirrel with Cherry Lane Cottage.

The squirrel isn't wanking in mine I don't think?

Ooo, and you get a rabbit :)

And a pussy, fnar fnar...

Yy forgot pussy as its always in the bath! Wet pussy

Back again. I did wonder whether this toy was aimed at a forrin market. Yes the cottage is anachronistic, but, I suppose pretty appealing to small children.

OP I still think your arguments are weak

I can't find it now. But I did read this toy was originally only available in the Gulf, but due to popularity and demand it has been made available in the UK. Obviously this doesn't help the OP, more a point of interest.

I like pink as well.

Was in ToysRUs yesterday (Christmas shopping done [smug face]), and was both annoyed and heartened by the 'girls' section.

On one hand the vacuum cleaners and ironing boards made me want to punch someone, on the other the fact that it was completely deserted and all the girls in the store were in the better bits made me happy.

I was pretty chuffed to get my little neice a bright pink tonka truck thing (NOT in the 'girls' section) with building blocks. Why can't things be pink? I like pink, she likes pink and she also enjoys playing trucks (her dad drives a monster truck at the mines), best of both worlds.

I actually miss the DDs Little Tykes kitchen. I They loved playing with it.

I see what you are saying. But overall I think it's good to have other cultures showing. So YANBU and YABU

This is a mad thread! Has April Fools come early?! Who on earth would think playing with toys depicting Muslims would turn their child Muslim?! Fgs, isn't it important to teach children about tolerance and diversity? DS has dolls of every creed and colour (almost, still looking for far east dolly)-I'd def get him this for Christmas..

OP, YABU. Get a grip.

I'm not sure that is what this thread is about pinkoyster. That this toy will 'turn' people Muslim. More that they have big chairs.

I had never seen these toys before now. Learn something new everyday on MN. I'm not offended by it. I guess toy companies have to cater for everyone and be reflective of daily life and I do see women dressed as such almost every day.

Besides, there's lots of other little characters to buy to add to it. Perhaps the Queen could visit www.elc.co.uk/HappyLand-The-Queen%27s-Diamond-Jubilee-Set/133796,default,pd.html (Prince Phillip not included in the set

The most disturbing toy ever was given to DS last birthday
Cute baby tiger , runs along floor on batteries
Comes complete with large gun for child to fire at baby tiger
Baby tiger stops running

Lovely!

Both men in front of the thrones and both women with a donkey or hanging round the house. I am not one to look for offence believe me but that bothers me too.

Am I the only one who noticed it is a man and a boy, and the others are a woman and a girl.

No one is actually sitting on a throne.

This thread is hilarious, I love it! I can see what the op means re men in the chairs, but they aren't thrones! And maybe the women are animal lovers that's why they are patting the donkey? I think it's a bit of a bizarre toy though, not on my Christmas list...

My daughter would not have wanted to emulate the women, or identified with them in any way.
She's have been the horse.

pinkoyster I am perfectly happy to take heat for things I said but not for made up stuff. Nowhere have I said that playing with Muslim role models will turn children Muslim, nor that if this happened there would be anything wrong with it.

As a committed atheist I would prefer my daughter to share my values, but if she choses to follow a religion that is also fine by me. However there is a diference between a religion and its extreme, oppresive forms. Should my daughter chose to move to Iran because of their threatment of women I would be as upset as I could be if she chose to marry a polygamist Mormon.

Tolerance and diversity do not mean accepting everything unthinkingly. For me the head to toe covering of women is associated with an extreme interpretation of a religion that (this interpretation and not the general religion) has horrific implications for women (for example the Koran itself says nothing about covering women, just that both men and women should be dressed modestly, so if anyone is drawing generalisations about religions it's not me. Not to mention the fact that even extre interpretations of the dress requirements for women do not apply it to children so it's unclear why the little girl in the toy is also similarly dressed - you shouldn't be able to find her anywhere in the world). Tolerance is defeated by relativism and can only survive in a world where we accept that there is moral right and wrong and everyone has a personal obligation to think their responsibilities through for themselves.

As for the general point that I am overthinking this I am struggling to see how thinking is a weakness.

Over thinking is a massive weakness in cases like this, if you set out to find the tiniest issues with every toy then your daughter will have nothing to play with but cardboard boxes!

Figures in playsets become whatever the child wants them to be. Issues only develop if they are encouraged by an adult at this age.

Sexism and the Early Learning Centre

A good read.

Oh get a life OP. You know those figurines aren't glued to where they've been placed. A child can easily put the women on the "thrones" and put the men with the donkeys.

What a pathetic thing to bring religion into. I opened the thread thinking it would be a chucky doll or something.

Also, how the fuck do you know that a Muslim person set out the figures like that? The higher chances are it was a non-Muslim who set out the scene and took the picture. Obviously with a stereotypical perspective of Muslims!