Let toys be toys - Foodbank wants to allocate Christmas gifts based on sex and age

[ShotsFired]

This sounds pretty trivial in the scheme of things currently being discussed on here, but in the spirit of Broken Windows Theory....

My local Foodbank (Trussell affiliated)is organising a Christmas Parcel campaign for local children - basically fill up a small box of Christmas Day. They go on to specify that age and sex should be noted on the outside.

I have FB messaged them, and they have seen it, to point out that the sex marking, in particular, is unnecessary and plays to pointless stereotypes (let toys be toys). Not to mention that if they get a surplus of one sex, do children of the other miss out as it isn't for them? No response.

Am considering chasing by email, with a cc to Trussell to ask for their response/position on this. Am I just wasting my breath? If not, any tips?

. Again with the assertion without evidence. I am saying something grounded in both research of populations and the personal experience of many people posting on this thread as well as my own and that of many of my friends and family. After all this the best response that you come up with is to merely state I am an arrogant man who is "spouting shit". Somehow I feel this is more a reflection of you than me.

Now how do I delete this thread from the "I'm on" view so I don't have to reminded of your animosity to reason?

Bye!

In the end I sent a very polite and friendly email asking whether the Foodbank would consider requesting neutral gift boxes, to help both the volunteers who need to allocate them (to an unknown mix of boy and girl recipients), and for the children receiving them.

I got a very aggressive reply in minutes, telling me that he could see my view was "strongly held", but basically to fuck off and then fuck off some more.

I have replied with a second email to say I would be happy to buy him a coffee and continue the conversation to understand each other better, but no reply.

As a pp said, I will "concentrate on making a difference where you can rather than spending effort where you can’t".

@wisedad no worries, here you go:

I've been asked to do this for charity.

I deliberately chose to give something that could be given to either a girl or boy without problem.

It also helps in the event that they have too many of one and not enough of the other.

You know you are the laughing stock of the foodbank now don't you ?least when they are sorting through boxes and toys referrals they will be wondering if it is gender neutral

You will also turn into a foodbank urban myth

Glad to be so entertaining for them @MrsJayy! Let's hope they have the right number of boys and girls to match the boxes they are donated, otherwise some poor kid is going without.

Have a lovely day.

When I contributed to these I usually picked items for "teenage boy" as being the demographic least likely to be picked by others.

I have replied with a second email to say I would be happy to buy him a coffee and continue the conversation to understand each other better, but no reply

Why should he reply?

You could have just picked items and marked them "suitable for boy or girl age[ ]"