Would anyone like to join in an effort to convince retailers to stop categorizing toys by gender?

[OneHandWavingFree]

Following on from this thread and similar ones, a few of us are interested in discussing ways to send a message to retailers that it is not acceptable to designate 'boys' and 'girls' toy aisles which reinforce the message that science and adventure are "boys stuff", while girls should be primarily occupied with looking 'sexy' or practicing for domestic drudgery.

The first steps might be to draft a letter and identify a few retailers to target for an email campaign. Other ideas of how to get the message across are very welcome too, though.

Would anyone like to join in?

i prefer and because it says that everyone can play together - it's not a choice between which can play, but everybody play

Oh I see: let toys be toys (rather than girls toys or boys toys)

That took me a while - thank you aufanie

Lurker here posted a couple of times but my vote goes for Let toys be toys

Phew, I thought my stupidity had closed the thread down.

One vote for It's A Toy Thing (not a girl or boy thing) from this lurker

Hooray, I love it when a lurker delurks.

can I share the survey via Fb to RL friends somehow?

The revised tally (with an hour and a bit to go before 8pm - is everyone on board with going with the majority then?) is:

Let Toys Be Toys - For Girls and Boys: 9 votes

trishawisha
MrsDevere
Himalaya
RikersBeard
Nickebabe
ashes
ticklemyboobs
aufaniae
WineGless

It's a Toy Thing - Not a Girl or Boy Thing: 6 votes

PuddleJumper
Casey
Euphemism
Inigo
OneHand
tougholdbird

Equal Play: 5 votes

Goths
Somerset
Grimma
Kinbote
feelathome

There's still time to change your vote, or to vote for the first time, LURKERS!!

Wineglass

As "keeper of the survey"

I would say you can copy the links to the survey to RL friends if you think they might want to help out and be mystery shoppers, but I wouldn't broadcast it as its not the "public face" of the campaign - more the preparations.

WineGless if you want to copy and paste the links to the surveys, and email them to friends to complete, that would be great - the more surveys done, the better.

But I don't think we plan to use Facebook to recruit people to do the survey in general, I think the idea is that the behind-the-scenes work would happen here, and Facebook would be the public face of the campaign.

Hopefully the FB page will mean that by the time we have the survey findings ready, we'll have built up a bit of an audience for them beyond MN, which might help with regard to getting some press around the campaign.

Cross post! Good to know we're on the same page, Himalaya!

:-)

Great - will email links tonight. Been discussing it with a few friends who feel much the same.

Survey update: 11 done so far

Survey update:

Done so far:

The Entertainer x2
ELC
Tesco
Sainsbo's
M&S
Fenwicks
Home Bargains

Online :
John Lewis
Bright Minds
Mulburrybush

Keep going! It is good if we do multiple surveys on each retailer, as well as getting wide coverage.

Clear your cookies to do a 2nd survey.

Another late vote for let toys be toys. Love this thread (just found it). I sent a outraged message to galt toys the other week. Will dig it out and post it here later...

LAST BUMP BEFORE CAMPAIGN NAME TALLY

Any more late votes? :)

Okay, Let Toys Be Toys - For Girls and Boys it is! With a final tally of 10 votes (as above + themouse ), compared to 6 for "It's a Toy Thing - Not a Girl or Boy Thing" and 5 for "Equal Play".

As both of the other options had some support, we should find ways to work those phrases into the campaign via facebook and twitter.

I do like the name really, :) Well done to nickelbabe for coming up with Let Toys Be Toys.

As for the "For Girls and Boys" bit (which was added after the original LTBT suggestion) - should it be a strapline or part of the name (except where we're restricted to short names, like on Twitter)?

I think it needs to be part of the name, in order to clarify what the campaign is actually about.

Great, so it's decided! Often-times you go round and about and come back to the original favourite - for good reason.

I'd say part of the name and hyphenated. Except where you have to restrict for hashtags etc.

I will do the survey this weekend, by the way, Himalaya.

Had a look at Amazon last night and searched for girls' toys and boys' toys. The first page results were downright depressing. Footspas, nail kits, makeup kits, perfume sets, bath bombs, baby dolls for girls.

Woohoo! We've decided!

I see there is already dissent on the FB page of the "there are more important things to worry about" variety - but good that it led to some debate. I guess there will be lots of that .....

That is depressing, ashes - only one item on that list is an actual toy! :(

So now that the name is settled, when do you think we should launch a thread in Chat? It will be to introduce the campaign to MNers who aren't yet aware, give it its full name, and link to the FB page and the surveys.

I'm happy to do it now, but don't want it to get buried overnight... should it be first thing tomorrow, and we'll do our best to keep it in 'active' for the day?

I know, it was quite shocking how much of it was 'beauty' based stuff for little girls.

in case anyone here hasn't been on the FB page yet