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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To hate the way some science kits are presented

25 replies

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 15:46

Looking for a crystal growing kit for my DD I was so impressed with the way Matalan packaged theirs compared to the science museum. It's basically exactly the same kit but I don't see why they needed to make it a "girls" set.

To hate the way some science kits are presented

OP posts:

Thread gallery

TeenTimesTwo · 30/08/2017 15:50

YANBU. I would buy the Matalan one.

FallingOrbit · 30/08/2017 15:58

Yeah, crystals don't care about gender. I had crystal growing kits as a kid - awesome stuff!

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/08/2017 16:01

Is that a boy on the Matalan packaging? Because that's no better to me and implies that science is for boys.

You can grow your own BTW just Google it.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 16:05

I will definitely get the Matalan one.
It's a shame there isn't a cartoon boy and girl on there it's true but I don't think it's particularly overt compared to the science museum. I'll definitely google grow your own, thank you.

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Waddlelikeapenguin · 30/08/2017 16:09

Why wouldn't you buy it for a boy? Because it's purple? Or because there is a girl on the packaging?
Really asking

RhubardGin · 30/08/2017 16:20

It's actually you that's making it about gender.

What about it means you wouldn't buy it for a boy?

Nothing about that box says "for girls only" or "girls crystal making kit" it just happens to be purple with a female child on the front.

Why have YOU assumed it's for girls hmm?

averylongtimeago · 30/08/2017 16:20

Well you know girls can only like stuff if it's all pink and sparkly right? So I guess the science museum is only making sure that it is a science set suitable for girls, as if it were in a blue box with no sparkles they couldn't play with it. Personally I think the box would have been better with added unicorns, but you can't have everything.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 16:24

I would buy it for a boy but it's my DD I'm looking for. The blurb on Argos website with the science museum starts "A laboratory that is dedicated to girls..." I'm presuming this is taken from the box but I may be wrong.

OP posts:

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 16:26

But you're right, nothing actually says girls on the front of the box.

OP posts:

RhubardGin · 30/08/2017 16:26

Hang on, the crystal growing kit from Matalan is in a blue/red box with sparkly crystals on the front with a cartoon boy on the front.

Is THAT not trying to be aimed at boys? Or can something only be gender neutral if it's masculine?

RhubardGin · 30/08/2017 16:27

Sorry, science museum!

orlantina · 30/08/2017 16:29

Think that's bad...look at this
Science...it's a girl thing

iklboo · 30/08/2017 16:31

Don't get me started on Sparkle fecking Science

orlantina · 30/08/2017 16:31

I am not sure why they need a picture of any child on the front..

Just have some awesome pictures of crystals...

Nuttynoo · 30/08/2017 16:35

Matalan is the worst when it comes to this kind of stuff. Really struggled to find any science kit not aimed at boys. The girly kit in contrast is progressive and probably a response to getting more girls interested in STEM.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 16:41

This is from the 1970s and seems so much better

OP posts:

RhubardGin · 30/08/2017 16:47

This is from the 1970s and seems so much better

But you could argue as to why the boy is at the forefront of the box and the girl is way at the back?

Like they were popped on there as an after thought.

orlantina · 30/08/2017 16:47

Really struggled to find any science kit not aimed at boys

Looked at ToysRUs

orlantina · 30/08/2017 16:48

And more ToysRUs

nooka · 30/08/2017 17:00

I don't think any of those are great orlantina. Boxes with girls on are pink and sparkly. Boxes with boys on are blue and serious. It seems to me sad that Clemontoni (the makers of the sparkly/serious crystals kits) have made boy/girl variants of their kits in the first place. However I see that they do produce kits marketed at both sexes too

[[http://www.clementoni.com/en/61290-chemistry/]] one is I think much better. No pink/blue coding and a boy and a girl on the front. It would be nice if there was more like this, but I expect that they get more sales from the stereotyped packaging.

orlantina · 30/08/2017 17:10

I don't think any of those are great orlantina

Me neither.

No pink/blue coding and a boy and a girl on the front. It would be nice if there was more like this, but I expect that they get more sales from the stereotyped packaging

That's true. And depressing.

Blue and pink are everywhere. I am sure that other colours are available. It's just lazy thinking, stereotypical thinking and reinforcing.

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 17:11

I did think that about the 1970s one but at least both sexes were represented. You're probably right nooka that the stereotype ones sell better, it just seems a bit depressing.

OP posts:

Original poster

Dogmatix34 · 30/08/2017 17:12

X post orlantina

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Alexkate2468 · 30/08/2017 17:23

It's a hard one because some girls I know would be attracted to the pink box and wouldn't really engage in this type of activity if something didn't appeal to their natural preference for the stereotypically 'girly' appearance. I know that's because of the message already set by society. I don't think there's anything wrong in having things aimed at a specific gender. I'm really not into the whole gender neutral thing. I think pink and blue things are fine but then I take my girl down the ' blue toy' aisle and my boy siren the 'pink' I encourage them both to play with what they like regardless of the colour of the box. I do think some aspects of gender stereotypes exist for a reason - though we all know there are exceptions to the rule.
I would buy the pink box for my son or I would buy the blue for my daughter.

Andrewofgg · 30/08/2017 17:55

It used to be and maybe still is the dogma of the children's publishing industry that boys would not buy a book with a girl on the front (unless there was also a boy in a more prominent position) but not vice versa. So if you wanted to sell to the "both" market you designed the dust-jacket accordingly.

If market research suggests that that's the case now with science kits, the manufacturers are going to do what they have to do, aren't they?

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