'Let Toys Be Toys' Organising Thread - Part 2

[OneHandWavingFree]

"Let Toys Be Toys - For Girls, and Boys" is a campaign started by a group of Mumsnetters, to convince retailers to categorise their toys by theme or function, rather than gender.

We're inviting everyone to 'like' us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@LetToysBeToys) and join us right here for discussion and collaborative decision-making about the next steps of our campaign.

Himalaya has been hard at work compiling the information gathered by our fantastic LTBT Mystery Shoppers, and we will be agreeing right here how the surveys will be ranked, which retailers we will be targetting with our message, and how we will go about it.

If you think that girls and boys should feel free to play with whatever toys that interest them most, and that they shouldn't walk into a toy store and feel pressurised to conform into archaic gender roles and stifling stereotypes, please join in the discussion!

[SirBoobAlot]

I'm happy to help out media wise, did some contacting / press releases for a breastfeeding piece earlier on in the year, not frightened by them any more

[MurderOfGoths]

Haha, now there's an idea!

[LadyKinbote]

Great news about BBC Breakfast! Have been a bit useless this week (DS ill - nothing serious) but am definitely still cheering from the sidelines and busy retweeting, commenting on Facebook etc.

[5madthings]

Oh wow bbc breakfast!! This is fab! Bit out if the loop as we are the puke family and afyer, ds4, ds1, dd and dp had the bug ds2 and myself succomed over the weekend and yesterday. Dp had to take time off work as all i did yesterday was lie on the bathroom floof. I had to call him up and get him to come home. Feeling bwtter today as long as i dont move. poor ds2 has been the worst tho and we had to get the out if hours dr. He is recovering and looks slightly less deathlike tiday.

Not sure about tv but radio phone interviews etc or newspaper interviews.

Are these all being dine in london? I am in norwich so if necessary can hop on a train to london with a few days notice so sort childcare etc.

[LadyKinbote]

I know this is obvious but it's occurred to me that we'll really need to make it explicit that we have no problem with little girls who like pink or boys who play with cars (or vice versa!). The issue is that when talking to other parents we've found that most kids have a wide range of interests and it seems a shame to try to stop them exploring these.

I'm just thinking of the criticisms I've received at work that I'm a mean Mummy who refuses to let my children play with the toys they want!

[HopeForTheBest]

I cannot help as I am in Germany, but was in our local toyshop earlier today and noticed that all the toys are grouped by what they are: all the puzzles are together, all the doll/baby stuff is together, all the action figures are together, the lego, the playmobil, the craft stuff, the musical instruments, the outdoor toys etc etc.

The baby/doll/barbie sections are extremely pink, though this is due to the products themselves, rather than anything the shop have done.

There are no signs or indications as to which toys might be suitable for which gender, it's all done by type of toy/product.

[Himalaya]

Given that we have bounced into media outreach a little earlier than planned I propose we start the petition now, so that whoever goes on BBC breakfast can say 'please sign the petition to tell retailers to let toys be toys'

I have drafted it here:

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/toy-retailers-in-uk-and-ireland-stop-promoting-toys-as-only-for-boys-or-only-for-girls-2

It is based on the wording on the twitter and FB accounts. It is not aimed at any particular retailer just 'retailers in the UK and Ireland' - we can target who we send it to later.

What do you think?

[OneHandWavingFree]

Brilliant, Himalaya !

Petition in Link Form

Time to resurrect the Chat thread too, and put it on there, do you think?

[OneHandWavingFree]

I am travelling to the US tomorrow and so can't volunteer for BBC, but am very willing to do further phone interviews etc. if needed.

Someone asked about the indy - the reporter has been in touch, I have given an interview, and we are hoping for some coverage once we can send her some info from the surveys. She seems to get where we're coming from and to have a genuine interest in the piece :)

[Thisisaeuphemism]

Brilliant, and I can't wait to see it on BBC breakfast.

Perhaps we could get a list together of not only people who could do the media but where they are, so that if you get a regional contact, we might be able to send someone along.

I'd be happy to cover the Essex area. (If no one else will)

[ParsingFancy]

Yy, LadyKinbote. Nutshell: not trying to stop children having what they like, just stop colour-coding and gender-labelling everything, and let toys be toys.

[ParsingFancy]

Actually, should the petition explicitly list "colour-coding" as part of labelling?

Because that's really insidious mechanism.

[LadyKinbote]

I'm in London btw although not keen on media unless we're really stuck!

[ashesgirl]

Urgent! BBC are asking us for pics of kids playing with unusual toys.

By this think they mean ones that challenge gender stereotypes. If you have any that you'd be happy for us to use on tv tomorrow and that you own copyright for, can you pm me?

We need these urgently. Thanks!

[5madthings]

ashesgirl on the fb page i put a pic if ds3 in his fave fancy dress tutu and tiara and can try and post more pics later tho my fb app on my phine is being a pits. Eill uninstall.it and then reinstall it.

Have some of ds3 playing with fairies, ds4 with play food and dd with dinisaurs and trains. On and ds2 and ds3 playing with dolls.

[TeaAndTinselMakeChristmasShine]

Signing up for your campaign.

Had a quick look through our photos. I did have one of my long curly haired boy wearing wings and a tutu carrying a doll. He looks like a girl cherub. I can't find it.

If you haven't get your hands on something suitable I can look again this evening.

[5madthings]

Just uploaded ds3 playing with his schleich fairies. There is already the pic if him in the tutu on the let toys be tiys fb page. Happy for them to be used. Shall look through my fb pics to see what else i have.

Oh i have dd in her pushchaur cuddling her lamb, a my little pony and a dinosaur! Think its on my fb page.

Anyone wanting to add me on fb pm me x

[MurderOfGoths]

Even simpler than that Parsing

We are campaigning for all children to be able to play with what they like. Even if that something has been traditionally marketed at the other gender. The ones stopping children from playing with what they want are the people marketing toys this way.

[5madthings]

Oh also have a pic of dd riding a tractot.

[5madthings]

I think i just shared a puc of dd on a tractor. The ine of ds3 dressed up and one of him playing with fairies are on the fb page.