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Gender Stereotypes In Children's Toys

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Ever since childhood, society has taught people how they should act, depending on their gender. There are many ideologies around gender, and how one should act as a woman or a man. There are many connotative meanings behind the word male, such as “tough” and “aggressive”. There are also connotative meanings being the word female, such as, “sensitive” and “motherly”. The stereotypes around gender begin at a young age based on children’s toys. Children’s toys create ideas about gender roles in many different ways.
The first thing that appears on Google when one searches “boys toys” is superheroes and trucks. And in contrast when one searches “girls toys” princesses and dolls appear. In further research, boys,’ and girls’ toys, ages 5-7 vary in …show more content…

The colors of the packaging for the action figures are dark blue, red, and black. In contrast, the packaging for the dolls is pink, purple, and white. These colors are stereotypical “boy” and “girl” colors, which reinforce the stereotypes that men should like blue and women should like pink. Another difference between these two toys is how they advertise them. For example, the action figures are typically popular superheroes, or Star Wars characters. In comparison to the dolls, which are typically based around popular Disney princesses. This is an advertising technique used to increase sales. Toys are centered around popular movies in a specific time period. These advertising techniques reinforce ideologies that only boys like Star Wars and superheroes and only girls like Disney movies and princesses. Lastly, action figures are normally strong and fit and usually, represent a powerful person. These reinforce the stereotypes that men should be tough and strong, which in result make little kids believe that they need to live up to that image. In contrast, dolls teach little girls the motherly characteristic at a young age. This reinforces the stereotypes that women should be sensitive and motherly, so they can learn how to take care of their dolls, and in the future take care of their kids. Although these toys have many differences they also have

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She also had baby ducks, unicorns, teddy bears, and toy cars. They were all fuzzy and tiny looking toys that people would categorize as toys for a little girl, except the toy cars. The author didn’t focus on any other toy but showing them in the book showed that girls can play with robots and dinosaurs too. Girls are just portrayed to like dolls more.

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There has been a lot of quarrels over the years about how children’s picture books are embracing traditions and presenting gender stereotypes. In an article I found, author Narahara May of “Gender Stereotypes in Children’s Picture Books,” discusses two major problems. One being that gender stereotypes and sexism has an emotional impact on the development of children’s identity and development. Secondly, she explains about how books in the last decade have portrayed gender negatively. Furthermore, I will be discussing May’s ideas further in depth by examining the portrayals of gender stereotypes found in the popular “Berenstain Bears” picture books.

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Shoppers could purchase a separate dress-up pack, for the low price of $1.69, to allow children to express their dolls in their own creative way; Which happens to be similar to how companies do it today. Popular businesses like Barbie and American Girl Doll have grown bigger and bigger using the same idea of the little plastic mannequin dolls. The company American Girl Doll has continued to grow and has become so popular that their most favorite doll this year, Corinne Tan, costs $110 including the clothing that comes with the doll. The reason for the change of cost may be based on the strong and high-tech materials used to create these dolls.

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The Not so Perfect Role Models In her article “ The Messed-Up Lessons We’re Surrounded By As Girls” Niyathi Chakrapani articulates the negative impact Disney princess films and toy dolls have on younger girls. Chakrapani discusses the negative lessons and unrealistic idea of beauty the Disney movies portray in their films, which gives children a distorted understanding of what one should act and look like to feel accepted. Furthermore, Chakrapani emphasizes her argument by pointing out how toy dolls also have an affect on girls by teaching them stereotypical gender roles such as caretaking at an early age. Disney princess films may present satisfying entertainment for children, however the negative influence of the messages on self-image and

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Barbies were initially created with the western features and characteristics which were desirable at the time: like blue eyes, blonde hair, and gentle curves. They represented the beauty standards which were considered ideal and favored by society. However, these unrealistic standards are difficult to achieve by the average woman. Similarly, Jews also do not fall into a category which represents the quintessential Jew. Jewish people have a wide variety of cultures, customs, traditions, and beliefs which may not fit into the ideal Jew represented by the Jewish faith.

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Although baby dolls remained toys girls played with, Barbie stole the show. After this invention, all dolls thereafter were vastly different. This product was also one of the first toys to be directly advertised to kids, not their parents. Soon more toys were designed to appeal to children. After Barbie’s success, dolls began to look more grown up with adult-like features.

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According to the New York Times, “Boys’ toys and costumes tend to be associated with action or destruction: objects that move, characters that save the day and animals that prey. Girls’ toys and costumes are more passive: objects to be looked at, characters that are rescued and animals that are docile or pretty” (Miller). Parents give their sons with toy predators and toy

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As gender stereotypes in toys impact a child’s interest, this also influences their career choices. Through playing with toys, kids develop interests (Steinmatz). When kids are only offered half of the toys available, they don’t get the chance to gain interest in the toys declared for the opposite sex. Gender stereotypes limit the variety of toys that kids will form interests and skills upon (Clayton). The skills and interests kids develop during childhood shape what academic and career choices they make as adults (“Toys”).

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Children and young adults are identifying with gender roles at a young age due to mass media. Children develop within a society that is gender-specific when it comes to social and behavioral norms. These come from the family’s structure, how they play with others and by themselves, and school. Girls were expected to be more passive while boys were to be more aggressive and expressive with masculine behaviors. “Before the age of three, children can differentiate toys typically used by boys or girls and begin to play with children of their own gender in activities identified with that gender.

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But where did it all start and how did you get to this position? You’re five years old when you receive your first Barbie doll. Your innocent mind looks at the plastic figure as just a symbol of inspiration or a relatable toy used on the playground

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An example of this stereotype of gender roles in Toy Story would be when Sid's sister wears pink clothes and plays with dolls. This is stereotypical of girls because girls are thought of to wear pink and play with dolls from a very young age. Sid, however, wears a shirt with a skull and plays with action figures. Besides that think about what Sid did to the toys he was very rough and even broke some and that is another stereotype of a boy's gender role. The story also teaches that it’s important to respect other people's property, as well as your own!

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If stores market toys for a specific gender they will prevent children from having this. 6th grader at Plainview Old Bethpage middle school Carly Barca says that “when kids see a toy they want but it’s labeled for just a girl or for just a boy it can make them feel down because if they want a toy and it’s labeled for a specific gender it can make them think that they cannot do what they want and they have to follow the “tradition” of what is considered for boys or for girls”. When toys are marketed for a specific gender they suggest what children should like to do and who they should aspire to be before they’ve had an opportunity to figure that out on their own. Children’s view of the world can be shaped based on what they do and what they play

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Gender Stereotyping suppresses an individual to believe that they are not perfect and will not be accepted by society unless they follow the societal norms. The most shocking part about gender stereotyping in children, is that adults instill it in them without even realizing they do. Consider a person’s life for example. From the moment he/she born, that one word defines most if not all of their life choices starting with the clothes they wear to the decorations in their room to the toys they play with. “Children develop gender-typed patterns of behavior and preferences as early as age 15 to 36 months” states a psychological viewpoint on gender stereotyping in children.

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