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Gender Stereotypes In Toys

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Modern society is questioning the social norms of the past so as to move forward in a more progressive and inclusive way. Everything from the past is being questioned including the type of toys children play with. Throughout infancy, early childhood, and adolescence children are exposed to strict gender norms. For example, girls are meant to play with toys that are pink, sparkly, and kitchen sets. Boys on the other hand are encouraged to play with trucks, strong and aggressive action figures, and building blocks. The toys presented to girls reinforce negative gender stereotypes that include the message of women belonging in the home with interests in cooking and skilled in home making. Boys are encouraged to be aggressive and violent which perpetuates negative stereotypes about masculinity. These stereotypes lead to children feeling forced into paths they do not have true interest in. These stereotypes put in place …show more content…

People are made to believe things about themselves based on the toys they played with as children. Gendering toys has consequences on girls especially. Girls are less likely to play with toys that would enhance certain parts of their brain that would help them in their future career choices. One study found that girls’ special reasoning was at a disadvantage due to the type of toys they played with: “Targeting toys by gender has consequences beyond socialization. A 2015 study found that boys are more likely to play with toys that develop spatial intelligence—K’nex, puzzles, Lego bricks—than girls are” (Daly). If girls were encouraged to play with toys that help cognitive functions such as those mentioned before then they will be able to excel in later parts of their lives. Girls need to be encouraged to be smarter just as their male counterparts so that society can benefit from the great ideas they will have to offer. Empowerment is key when building a better future for

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In the essay “Even Nine-Month-Olds Choose Gender-Specific Toys,” Jennifer Goodwin acknowledges the possibility of gender being innate, as a research showed that “even 1-day-old boys spent longer looking at moving, mechanical options than 1-day-girls, who spent more time looking at faces” (89). However, she claims that even actions this early in life may already be influenced by the parents’ different treatments, which start almost instantly after their child is born. Goodwin states that, even when their children are still infants, parents tend to show more affection towards girl than boys, who are dealt with in a more active and playful manner, which could explain the findings of the research mentioned. This difference in treatments is later

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It is well-known in modern culture that children begin developing gender identities from a very young age. As soon as children are able to comprehend media and the actions of those around them, they are bombarded with examples of gender roles. In fact, they are presented with these examples even before they can comprehend them. Parents may begin reading children books right from birth. The gender roles that are often present in these picture books aimed at young children become ingrained in the minds of the children, kickstarting the development of gender identity.

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Girls and boys toys have created a huge impact in america with the colors, and types of things they use to aim a specific item towards a single gender. In stores such as target the aisles are separated by so called boy colors and girl colors. Also toys are named different things just for an appeal to genders such as dolls and action figures, when they are really all the same thing. This affects our world because it shows that boys and girls have to get or buy certain things aimed

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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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Boy toys traditionally focused on violence, aggression, and anger. Clearly, this shows the promotion of gender stereotypes. The toy company is telling kids at a very early age, when they are still developing, that if you are a guy,

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From the article "How Do Children's Toys Affect Gender Roles" there are tons of boys who would love the push a stroller around the block and tons of girls that would love the

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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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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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