<<frustrated scream>> old chestnut - gender stereotyping of toys

[JessaJam]

Browsing through the argos catalogue last night in pathetic attempt to get inspiration re Christmas shopping...
ARGH! As soon as you move past the 0-36 months age group it HITS..pages entitled "Girls Toys", containing hoovers, irons, cookers, 'pretend you work in a shop ringing up items and putting them in a bag' toys...yes the pictures contained the occassional'token' little boy too, playing with the big kitchen.
Then on the blatantly "boys toys" pages, ALL the pictures were of boys playing with the cars/ships/trains/castles/build a big thing with pokey-outy bits toy. No girls. Not even a token...

FFS

i agree
and why does everythin ghave to be either pink or blue at elc? what about orange red green etc etc

I did that with the argos catalogue the other night in an idle moment - the colour stereotyping was as striking as the content.

I hate it.

And it's the fashion these days to say that boys and girls just ARE different, nothing to do with their upbringing. How can we possibly say that when they are told from such an early age what their interests ought to be. It's no wonder there are so few girls going into science, and that so many men are so hopeless at cleaning up after themselves.

I find early learning centre to be a bit more enlightened. I'm just baffled by the fact that Argos don't realise that boys love girls toys and visca versa. My Ds 18months loves his teaset, broom and dustpan, adores the kitchen corner at creche and will be getting a hoover for xmas as he is obsessed by them! My neice thinks DS's garage is fantastic as she has nothing like that at home. There missing out on a whole market by stereotyping.

SO grateful to my parents for ignoring the fact that the box wasn't pink with frilly bits and buying me lego and toy cars as well as ignoring the fact that the box was pink and frilly and buying me a doll, tea set and hoover

I know exactly what you mean. dd1 (3) has decided that when she grows up she wants to be

1. a princess
2. a fairy
3. a mummy (flattering but kind of unambitious?)

I have suggested "doctor"? "vet"?

We have got as far as saying that she might do some drilling when she is older - "like daddy".

DS has asked for a barbie for christmas, i have told him all along, if i can afford it, it doesnt matter if it is pnik, blue, green, yellow, red or even skybluepink! He has been told by other rellys that it isnt ok to play with girls toys, and i just HATE it! I want him to figure out what HE wants to play with, not what others think he should. Glad others feel the same

If you have three girls the pink blue thing is infuriating

so dd1 has a lilac one, dd2 has a pink one and dd3 gets stuck with the blue one

Oh God, and the other day the final irony:

When I grow up I want to be.........Barbie.

She has never had a Barbie, so I don't know where this has come from. Aggggghhhhhhhh!

On a similar note, has anyone seen any of the dreadful Barbie films? Yes I know the kids love them but here's a sample:

"You're no better than a common maid" says the mother to her princess daughter."

Don't you just love it?!

The kids are just as bad tho - when my dd was 3 she told ds he 'cannot wear pink because he is a boy'. I strive to buy her everything but pink so heavens knows where she got that from.

Ds loves playing with dolls etc (as well as Thunderbirds, cars, tanks etc) but at school feesl he has to join in with the boys so never plays 'girlie' games.

Thankfully dd is a tomboy so I generally buy 'boys' toys for them both - Dr Who daleks this year (I think dh wanted them too!!)

Oh and she wants to be a 'Mummy'

and a VET!

bought dd1 a gorgeous jacket in gymboree before they closed down in richmond and she ahs refused to wear it as it is blue - that's a boys colour mummy
she didn't get that from me
hoping dd2 will wear...

my ds who is 10yrs old whats a styleing head
well all the best hairdressers are boys

dmo - my MIl has bought one for my 2yo. I do think she is a little bit young but apparently I can do it with her.

She doesn't seem to realise that I have my very own styling head in DD - and much more challenging/wriggly at that.

Ds1 wants a cleaning trolley but NOT a pink one, I can't believe how hard it is to find one.....