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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Toys R Us (photos attached)

137 replies

toastcollective · 02/12/2017 20:13

Hope I'm posting in the right place, I don't actually have any children myself but I've been shopping for my new niece today. Had a wander round Toys R Us and couldn't quite believe what I saw (I've attached pics)

Would be really interested to hear your thoughts. I'm sure its been ages since shops stopped splitting things by gender? Confused I remember seeing on the news ages ago that Boots, Toys R Us etc were stopping all of this 'boys toys' and 'girls toys' nonsense. I appreciate the signs are neutral now like toy brands or categories 'science' 'arts and crafts' but it is so ridiculously obvious that the toys are gendered it makes me think why on earth they even bothered getting rid of the signs!

If a child spent just 5 mins in this shop even without being bought a toy they would leave will a million stereotypical ideas about gender :(

Toys R Us (photos attached)
Toys R Us (photos attached)
Toys R Us (photos attached)
OP posts:
JanQuadrantVincent · 02/12/2017 20:54

@thislittlekitty - they do price match

InspMorse · 02/12/2017 20:54

Meh... I like the shops separate stuff. I don't care if I see a sea of pink & blue. Makes it easier to find what you like.

The debate surrounding gender neutral clothing irritates me too.

For example, I would be pretty miffed if shops started mixing up the women/men sections in clothes shops.

'Men's' PJs, shoes, trousers, coats, shirts, toiletries, underwear all mixed up with the same designed primarily for women.

Buy/ wear/ use what you like I say.

I've been known to buy & wear 'men's' socks, belts, scarves & sweatshirts.

People are making a problem where there isn't one.

PricklyBall · 02/12/2017 20:59

No, I'm with you on this one, OP. YANBU. I'm a scientist (as in, it's what I do for a living, it's what HR says my job is!) That shelf of blue packaging on the science toys is horrific. We know (lots of recent research on this) that by age 7 many girls have already internalised the idea that maths and science are not for them, that they're no good at maths (despite there being no factual basis for this idea at all), and shelf displays like this are part of the problem. And likewise, portraying all arts and crafts stuff as inherently feminine (and as a PP pointed out all the crap that goes with that about therefore being less worthy) is equally shite. What's wrong with boys doing knitting or sewing or other crafts? And why shouldn't crafts be seen for what they are - valuable creative activities, not little women's activities?

Grrr.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 02/12/2017 21:03

I get it. Any child over the age of 2 would be able to point out the 'boys' toys and the 'girls' toys in most shops, because of this pink/blue packaging issue. You can talk all you like about how boys can like pink too, but that's missing the point. Kids are being taught from an early age what colour matches which gender, and then they see which kinds of toys are pink and which are blue... It sends out a very depressing message. YABU, but you'd probably have better luck finding people who can grasp the concept over on the feminist board.

Want2bSupermum · 02/12/2017 21:03

TRU is going through bankruptcy here in the US to restructure their debt. I've not purchased anything that hasn't been on clearance because it is so very expensive. We got a car seat from another babystore called buybuybaby and it was $95. Same exact car seat in BRU was $135. Apparently the free layaway is very popular except it isn't free because everything is so expensive.

zoomer445 · 02/12/2017 21:05

But if you hadn't made the big speech and caused a fuss you could have bought him the doll

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 02/12/2017 21:05

*YANBU. Blush

CinnamonStar · 02/12/2017 21:07

It's not ToysRus' fault - they have labelled everything in same colour (blue) and same font, Arts and Crafts or Science.

Yes, the arts and crafts aisle is overall a bit pink, and there is no pink in the science aisle - but that is the manufacturer's choice, not the retailer. The retailer is not going to refuse to stock popular toys because they come in a pink box.

They have to categorise in some way, or nobody would be able to find anything - categorising by type is eminently sensible.

Walkingtowork · 02/12/2017 21:08

For a long time I thought the motive behind this sort of stereotypical bullshit was to sell more, i.e. can't be passed down from a boy to a girl and vice versa. But over time I've seen all sorts of people from all walks of life so wedded to the idea that boys are like this/girls are like that, it makes me wonder if there's some deep instinct in people to differentiate between the sexes. Maybe it goes way back in evolution, so make extra sure that you can tell the difference, for reproductive efficiency.

And if so, all the effort to allow boys and girls to be whatever they want, will always be an uphill struggle.

TammySwansonTwo · 02/12/2017 21:08

Here we go again - this time "it's just packaging"

They can sort by type as much as they like but if all the stereotypically female toys are in pink boxes and vice versa, it sends a message. Don't think OP is blaming the shop either.

Crispbutty · 02/12/2017 21:13

To be fair, if you look properly at the arts and craft section, it is just all different colours.

Toys R Us (photos attached)
Sara107 · 02/12/2017 21:14

You're absolutely right op, I find it disheartening too. I was looking for Lego friends in Toys r Us and went to the Lego shelf. Couldn't see them anywhere, and was then directed away from the Lego shelf to the pink girlie shelves at the other end of the store. I can accept different types of Lego models to appeal to different children, but the idea that the girlie Lego couldn't be put on the same shelf as the other (ie boy) Lego was shocking. It's not only girls who are harmed by this but boys as well, the children are so constrained into what they think is for girls or for boys.

Julie8008 · 02/12/2017 21:14

I looked at the pictures and couldn't figure out what the scandal was. So apparently its now bad to package toys in blue or pink boxes Confused

I would bet 100 pounds that if they packaged microscopes in pink their sales would plummet. And toys r us are already going bankrupt in America so that would really help the UK stores.

#feminismgonemad

ButterfliesAreWeird · 02/12/2017 21:16

Am I missing where it says boys or girls?

JanQuadrantVincent · 02/12/2017 21:27

But pricklyball there isn't a shelf of blue packaging?! There is one item in blue packaging - the Discovery Kids metal detector on the second row. The Discovery Kids logo is blue and yellow - so they can't use a main colour of their logo on their packaging because it is linked to one gender over another by some people? The detector on the top shelf is in the yellow Edu Science packaging - the blue is the sky background- because it's 'scene setting' how you would use it. Are you not allowed to show the sky on science toys now?! Much like the telescope on the bottom shelf is in black packaging - night use to see stars?

I DO think we still have an issue with gendered toys, I just don't think this is a great example of it (the crafts and science section - agree with OP on the dolls section)

Mumof56 · 02/12/2017 21:27

That shelf of blue packaging on the science toys is horrific

There's 2 blue (9%) on that shelf if approx. 22 products . The rest are green/black.

Horrific stuff altogether

NoToast · 02/12/2017 21:28

Julie8008 I'm not sure I understand your comment, why if they packaged microscopes in pink rather than blue would the sales plummet?

Is blue a microscope colour or something?

Fritillary123 · 02/12/2017 21:28

I noticed the same thing at my first trip to a 'b&m' store recently so am not surprised that that they also sell and display those sorts of toys at Toys 'R' Us. There are some amazing, independent toy shops that sell quality, educational, longer lasting, beautiful toys but unfortunately neither Toys 'R' Us or B&M fall into this category in my mind. While independent shops do cost more than 'online' or chain stores, I like to buy from them as you get quality over quantity and if you buy locally, more money gets recirculated into the local economy which will benefits the local area. Shame for the people who will be losing their jobs though.

HumphreyCobblers · 02/12/2017 21:29

Ask the average five year old which are the boys toys and which are the girls and they will identify according to the colour packaging, or specifically the pink is for girls! I would bet money on it. This is why it is a problem.

goingtotown · 02/12/2017 21:38

I avoid Toys R Us, the stores are the most unappealing experience. Not surprised a third of them will be closing. Expensive & cold, with filthy toilets.

QuarksandLeptons · 02/12/2017 21:39

You are not being unreasonable.
This shop and the toys they’ve chosen to stock are way behind the times.
This would put off a lot of parents from buying.
Unfortunately for parents who chose to buy a toy from here, they would be severely restricted in just buying a decent, interesting toy without having to make a big statement and giving a boy a bright pink over the top girl gendered toy.
This stupid, lazy packaging just reduces the options that children can see for themselves. Other posters say it’s no big deal but the statistics and scientific evidence don’t bear that out.
The excellent BBC documentary ‘’No more boys and girls’ demonstrated this very clearly

StarWarsFanatic · 02/12/2017 21:41

I have never liked pink & love blue, but it does annoy me that these gender stereotypes perpetuate. I don't see what toy makers have against gender neutral colouring to be honest.

I went to a school nativity and couldn't believe all the shepherds were boys and all the angels were girls. I said this to someone and they started telling me how upset girls would be if they were made to be shepherds. I explained that IF that were true it didn't explain the angels. Then this person's daughter pointed out that her daughter had insisted on being a shepherd instead of an angel many years ago Grin I still think she was missing my point, if girls were upset by it then it would be because they have had these stereotypes forced upon them already which isn't right.

lljkk · 02/12/2017 21:46

"I would be pretty miffed if shops started mixing up the women/men sections in clothes shops."

I would love shops to try this & see what happens.

I spent ages staring at mens pants today trying to find something for my teenager, sigh.

How many men would love the chance to rifle thru the lacey bras, for instance? Bring.It.On.

BackBoiler · 02/12/2017 21:46

This argument pisses me off. Its always only aimed at the colour pink. Blue and green and yellow and orange and red etc can all be considered "gender neutral" but as soon as its a pink item people kick off. Maybe because anything considered feminine is also considered bad and wrong.

This MarthaArthur I totally agree!

Pink is quite a nice colour! Pretty cheerful actually and didn't boys used to be dressed in pink....and women had blue wedding dresses? Correct me if I am wrong. It is pretty shit that people have a negative view of a colour that is bended out of white light by a prism.

ThisLittleKitty · 02/12/2017 21:48

Even if they "price match" most people are surely just to go where it's cheaper? I don't know how price matching works but I would feel embarrassed to ask for something cheaper then having to prove you can get it elsewhere cheaper? Would be pretty embarrasing at the till.