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
In her article “When Kids Play Across Gender Lines” CNN reporter, Emanuella Grinberg uses many elements to show why we should remove gender-specific toy marketing. Grinberg uses both fact and stories to develop her argument. Both of the stories Grinberg uses in her article support my argument that gender-specific marketing harms kids because it can ultimately lead to kids getting bullied. Her first story comes from author of Calling on Toy Retailers to Eliminate Gender-Based Marketing, Carrie Goldman. Grinberg then uses multiple points from Goldman’s book to support her argument.
Moncada, Jeremy: Toy companies should have a moral obligation to consider and realize the social impact of their toys especially barbie dolls. Based off the "Barbie Doll" poem, barbie dolls are teaching girls what it is like to become a grown woman. Society uses barbie dolls to let young girls know that women should be thin, do all the house work, and be attractive. I believe this isn't a good thing because this will put a lot of social pressure for the girl as she is growing up. As for boys and the toy companies, their toys send out a message that men should be strong and aggressive.
Gender role changes in The Lego Movie, start with the main character Emmet, played by Chris Pratt, starts out as a beta male. Just an average guy who conforms to all norms and goes along with all the other people without thinking twice. This is proven when he’s reading a book on how to be “normal” and how to fit in. He’s not trying to be his own person but just trying to be like everyone else and to conform to norms. Towards the end of the movie Emmet begins to lead and take charge of the group and becomes more of an alpha male.
Riley also discusses that boys and girls should be able to play with the toys they want to play with, no matter if they are gender based. Berk and Meyers explains when children do not think about if the toy is gender based and they are thinking about if the toy is interesting this is referred to as gender aschematic child, as Riley explains in the video, boys can play with girl toys and girls should be able to play with boy toys. According to Berk and Meyer when children display characteristics of both feminine and masculine characteristics this is called androgyny. Children should not feel guilt in the toys they are playing with, if they want to explore and play, parents and caregivers should be encouraging and not making them feeling shame or guilt about what they choose. When we can encourage children to pick what toys interests them we can provide more children with opportunities to display their masculine and feminine characteristics, having more
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,
Although the intentions of the “Dads Who Play Barbie“ advertisement were meant to challenge gender roles, the introduction of fathers who play will dolls inherently exhibited the problems with the social views of gender. In the advertisement, fathers present how active they are within their daughters’ lives, yet this activity only appears when dolls are involved. Such an idea reinforces two misconstrued conceptions: girls are meant to only play with dolls while boys are meant to never play with dolls. This historical view of assigned gender roles cause the advertisement to become distant to its possibly intentions, making it exclusive to gender challenges. One idea cemented by the campaign is that girls are solely meant to play with dolls.
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!
This is because I loved car toys. Unfortunately, as a child, I was not in a position to determine the gender stereotypes when it came to toys and was happy with whatever kind of toy my parents purchased for me. According to chapter five reviews on human sexuality diversity in contemporary America, toys associated with boys were related to emotional toughness, fighting, independence or aggression symbolized by soldiers, wrestlers, and guns. The benefit of utilizing these toys provided me with an opportunity to learn individual cognitive skills and critical thinking, which helped me, develop a competitive mindset.
Toys effect on career is proven as stated, “research by retail group Argos found that over sixty percent of adults working in design-led jobs, such as architects and designers, enjoyed playing with building blocks as children. Even more - sixty-six percent - working in maths related roles, such as accountants and bankers, preferred puzzles” (Barford). This is because adults reflect on their skills and interests that they have had since childhood before deciding their career(Clayton). Toys with gender stereotypes limit kids’
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.
Gender stereotypes in toys makes it so that each gender misses out on developing certain skills. When girls aren't offered toys for constructing they miss out on the opportunity to develop spatial skills, and this is when girls obtain the idea that technical subjects aren't for them (“Toys”). Toys that are viewed as boy toys also help to develop large motor skills, and since large motor skills are not promoted in “girl” toys, girls fail to develop them (Robb). Building blocks, which are considered boy toys, help boys develop skills that will help with math later on in life (Oksman). When girls are not offered these toys, they do not develop these skills, which can hurt them in their future.
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.
From the toys I looked at a lot of them supported “traditional” gender roles. The girl toys had Barbies that come with accessories clothes, and shoes. The boy toys had action figure that came with weapons or a vehicle. This is already pushes the “traditional” gender roles. By age 3, boys already reject pink toys (Berger, 2014: 221).
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
