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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To think mumsnet are helping promote sexist attitudes

197 replies

YoniFoolsAndHorses · 31/05/2013 15:36

Re "girl" and "boy" toys.

I am a 'Mumsnet panelist' and regularly fill in a load of little surveys. I have never win any of the £50 amazon prizes, but actually I have never minded that at all. I can do the little surveys easily on my phone in a few minutes, and I like to think that it's doing my bit to keep mumsnet getting bigger and better.

Until this afternoon.

Until I get a survey about toy cars and trucks to which I would only be elegible to answer if I had a son.

My daughter plays with similar cars and trucks. We know the make involved well. She has fantastic and reasoned opinions on the toys involved too (we tried the survey together - although I didn't submit it - I just answered the first question incorrectly and said she was a boy).

How can this possibly be right that mumsnet is allowing such sexist marketing to continue around 'girl' and 'boy' toys?

.

OP posts:
Peanutbutterfingers · 01/06/2013 22:46

This is why I love Mumsnet. The ability to say 'we were wrong, you were right, there won't be a next time'.

Well done MNHQ

And we'll done all on the Let toys be toys campaign. You're doing great stuff

Lioninthesun · 01/06/2013 22:49

DD loves trucks! Thankfully I haven't seen any in pink, so assume we are buying some of the makes being asked about.
Seems another company trying to say girls opinions just aren't important, because they are not 'supposed' to like their product. Completely ignoring the positive side, that they have a market to girls which is earning money that they know nothing about because they haven't yet joined the 21C
Poor choice here MNHQ.

LinusVanPelt · 01/06/2013 22:50

Brilliant reply, Carrie. Thank you!

Lioninthesun · 01/06/2013 22:51

X posted with the reply after reading whole thread!
Have the company been told as well, so they are aware?

OddBoots · 01/06/2013 22:58

Thank you MN. :)

Madamimadam · 01/06/2013 23:06

Thank you, Carrie. And Flowers to MN for all the reasons Peanutbutter said.

SummerRainIsADistantMemory · 01/06/2013 23:10

My dd inheritated my enormous box of toy cars and even bigger tub of Lego. She liked both so much we had to buy more.... Long before we ever had a little boy in the house!

My ds2 on the other hand spent this evening pretending to be a princess and plays with dolls more than dd ever did.

I'm glad mnhq has realised their mistake and I sincerely hope they'll be passing this thread and the other related one on to their client, it's time these companies woke up to the fact that kids like toys, not because they're marketed towards girls or boys but because of their own personalities and preferences.

CoalDustWoman · 01/06/2013 23:48

I guessed at the busy excuse. That's fairly stock. You lot have really got to get this stuff bedded in so that the default is not to let it through, but rather to go "hang on". Otherwise people might think that you are a bunch of FINOs (FeminstsInNameOnlys). You aren't, are you? It's not even like it was nuanced in any way, which could be missed in the melee - it was a great big sexist poll and not hiding it.

You do have a fabulous site here, by the way. Just in case you think you are only dealing with gripes Smile

garlicgrump · 01/06/2013 23:59

You get a reply from somebody who's at work on a Saturday night and you accuse them of shirking?!

CoalDustWoman · 02/06/2013 00:12

No, the busy thing is always the reason given when things get through that shouldn't have done. My point was why was the default "yes", rather than "hang on, this is not right", despite hecticness. This is not a troll thread being overlooked. This is a principles thing, isn't it?

I'm (largely) working still and I'm employed, not the owner.

garlicgrump · 02/06/2013 00:19

Well, yes, I agree that it shouldn't have happened - as does everyone else on this thread. I'm also aware that, while it wouldn't have got past me, most of the people I've worked with are less attuned to "-isms" than I am. I've always thought it's our responsibility to bring them to light when allowed to slip through, raising awareness one researcher at a time.

And we did: "The insight team are all suitably mortified that they didn't push back ... We have certainly learnt from this experience"

Job done :)

CoalDustWoman · 02/06/2013 00:27

The answer is more feminism. It usually isGrin

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 02/06/2013 00:35

What is an "Insight Team"?

Anyway....good news, good news. Glad it's been taken seriously.

Guerrillacrochet · 02/06/2013 00:46

'The answer is more feminism. It usually is'
^This.
Grin. Great result MN, thanks!

VashtaNerada · 02/06/2013 03:13

Thanks MNHQ Smile

LoveBeingUpAt4InTheMorning · 02/06/2013 03:28

carriemumsnet that'll teach you to have some time off Grin just be grateful they spelt everything right or there wasn't a random ', the shit would have hit the fan then.

DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper · 02/06/2013 04:32

Thanks MN - great response.

The bottom line, certainly from a manufacturer's point of view, is that surely they don't want to limit their market?! Shock

The more girls playing with trucks, the more revenue, right?

Tee2072 · 02/06/2013 05:08

Late to the party but thanks carrie.

Now, about the lack of caps in your name...has Chaos, who is back, seen this? Grin

And for whoever asked, Insight is the official name of the team at MNHQ who run surveys and product tests.

LetToysbeToys · 02/06/2013 08:20

Morning! Thanks MNHQ Smile for such a great response and to the many people above who obviously support our quest to get rid of this crazy sexism in the toy industry.

We're busily preparing this week for some meetings with retailers (!!) and will be posting to our Facebook page and tweeting to let everyone know how it goes.

Have a lovely Sunday Grin

ParsingFancy · 02/06/2013 17:25

Nice one, MNHQ. And thanks for responding even on a weekend like this.

santaisdead · 02/06/2013 17:36

Is it also sexist that my wife used to refuse to buy my two boys plastic guns/swords, etc. as she didn't want them to "want" to join the army.

The boys were never force fed those types of toys, they went into a toy shop and pointed at them and said "can I have that?".

Sorry if that's a little off topic.

OddBoots · 02/06/2013 17:41

What was/would be your wife's thoughts on buying such toys for daughters?

BIWI · 02/06/2013 17:44

No, that's not sexism. That's something else entirely, santaisdead. Hmm

Unless your wife encouraged your daughters to have them whilst refusing your sons? Then it would be sexism.

BIWI · 02/06/2013 17:44

Thanks Carrie. And apologies for referring to advertising rather than the fact that this was a research survey.

santaisdead · 02/06/2013 17:58

You're probably right. It was more like anti-sterotyping, but that probably applies to the original post as well.

However, she never needed to apply the same rule to our daughter, because she never asked for them. She wanted Barbies, and that's what she got. However, Ken wasn't happy as he couldn't go down to the gun club and shoot his frustrations away.