Feminists & Toys?

Question

Do you avoid buying gender stereotypical toys for kids? I was at Costco the other day and saw a pink kitchen set for kids, I wondered if a feminist would have bought something like that for a girl? Would you buy something like that for a little boy to break the stereotypes?

Sigy: Where did I say all feminists function similarly?

Sigy: I understand two feminists can have two different view on the same issue...just like, shockingly, some feminists think a guy should pay on the first date, while others feel that the bill should be split. I understand the same applies to this and any other question. However, I'm curious to know if there is a common consensus among feminists when it involves this issue, since eliminating gender stereotypes from early on is one of topics of discussion.

Other than that, I'm not sure what mean?

I meant to say, I'm not sure what you mean LOL

Answer 1

I buy toys based on what the child wants. My male cousin wanted a barbie doll when he was 5 years old and I bought it for him.

Answer 2

Non-feminist here.
When buying them for my niece/god-daughter and the rest of my god-children, I don't place a gender association to toys, how ever oriented towards one or other they may seem.
Mel (my niece) likes to help in the kitchen, so I've bought her both a kitchen set and toy cars (which she also likes)... in reality, they are part of our everyday lives, women can cook and also like cars, it doesn't make one less of a woman to be interested in things that are classified as "manly" or "boyish" in society.
Yes, I would buy a kitchen set for a boy, if he showed interest in cooking. Some people think that they are strictly meant for girls, yet the best chefs in the world are mostly men, go figure.
To me there is a big difference between biological differences, which are inevitable and stereotypes that we've formulated out of opinions.

Good question hon.

Answer 3

Well, the general understanding of femmism as activism and horizon widening.

Femminism has never advocated unisex public restrooms where both men and women share adjacent stalls.

Femminism has never advocated abolishing Best Actor and Best Actress catagories in the Oscars (although, by rights they should).

Toys are often bought because the kids ask for them.

Toys are unisex and quasi edicational betweena ages 9 months and 3 years.

Both boys and girls like stuff animals. They both work with building blocks. Toy pianos.

Between 4 and 6 socialziation and sexual identity evolves and kids tend to gravitate towards things identified with sexuality and color and shape.

There has been scientific evidence to indicate that it is a NATURAL part of the FEMALE being to drawn to colors, such as pink to pick things because of those colors.

There is bio-chemical data to indicate that the hard wireing in the brain plays a factor here.

It is also being demonstrated with hard wiring on homesexuality to a degree.

In short girls who are lesbian inclined and dominative like a male in the traditional romance area do not NECESSARILY chose to wear men's jeans with front zippers and an expression of something consicously or unconsiouisly psychological, their bio-chemical hard wiring tends to lead them to these pants because they seem more natural to them.

Now this is certainly not always the case.

Some very femmine small girls favor blue or green over a red or pink.

But you tend to help motivate the child in their sexual and soclial role between 4-6 by catering to inate and traditional sexual roles and patterns.

After age 8 is when the femminist kudos should be applied as to broadening horizions.

Here you can suppliment by giving a girl a chemistry set, microscope, telescope, electronics kit and open a new world to her.

But in truth you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and if she finds Barbie more interesting than a microscope you have to live with that.

She is finding her own water level.

The more femmine a girl is the more she cares about her looks, choices of clothes, accessories.

The less femmine she is the less she cares about it and will go all day in raggety blue jeans with no make up.

The point of the matter is neither way is right or wrong.

If the 9 year old girl wants to dress up Barbie like a super star she will eventually do that to herself.

If, however, she see's Barbie as a superstar microbiologist then you have femmine femminist on your hands

There is no reason in the world with a girl with a PH D in Bio Chemistry can't have a nose job, drive a red Jagguar, wear short skirts, patten leather thigh boots and get implants so she looks like a million bucks when she collects her Nobel prize.

The wrong things happen when you lead a girl to beleive that Susie Homemaker is ALL there is in life.

And Barbie, by the way, isn't Susie Homemaker.

She's a surfer, a model, a movie star, a ballernia.

Mattel has probably considered making her a scientist, but they figured they get laughted at currently.

But I'll wager MBA Barbie will eventually happen.

You will take note there is no baby Barbie and Barbie does not have a baby bottle accessory.

Barbie is a gorgious, single, woman of the world. She's Princess Grace. She's ab fab.

And Mattel has been promoting the concept of this Woman with the World At Her Fingertips as long i've been alive.

Yeah true many girls can't measure up to this, but 99% of the guys out there can't measure up to Donald Trump or Bill Gates.

And if you look around you, you will find MANY of today's women leading the Barbie life.

There is absolutely nothing I can see wrong with a woman who picks the best clothes that look like they are painted on her body, has every hair in place, knows exactly who she is and what her worth is and talks to you with no punches pulled.

Barbie has NO dad, so he isn't financing her. Ken, he's just an "add on" accessory.

I don't know if Mattel knew what they were doing or not (they probably did) but they were shaping the kernals of the femminist mind back in 1960. And indepdent girl of the world who is hot to trot and not shackled to anyone.

Since more girls than guys end up doing better in school and going off to college one wonders just how much of an impact the Barbie World had on them, because you have to finance that world somehow!

Answer 4

I'm sorry Lioness but I'm a litle suprised that you of all people would ask this question. It's feeding into feminsts as a stereotypical all the same ideology when we are very much individuals like any one else.


I'm feminist or at least I call myself one and I probably would buy gender stereotypical toys for kids if they asked for them or if I thought they would be happy playing with them. And another feminist may be very strongly thinking of gender stereotypes in toys.

And what the hell maybe the other feminist is thinking deeper than I am..I wouldn't be offended if you thought that..

Edit: I was replying to where you say you wondered if a feminist would have bought something like that for a girl. I just say that I think this too broad a statement. I don't say it to put you down.

Answer 5

I'm a Father of two beautiful little girls. We have a pink kitchen set, stuffed animals, Barbie dolls, Lego blocks, toy cars, a drum, and a whole bunch of other toys that are considered can be viewed as gender neutral or boy-oriented. I even let the kids play on my basses. I have also been teaching my girls about wrestling and tackling. I used to be a wrestler and my kids are going to wrestle in school and play in rock bands, if they want to. When little boys are over, they like playing on the kitchen set. Parents, let your children do a whole bunch of activities, not just boy or girl stuff. It's healthy.

Answer 6

I tend to buy gender neutral toys such as legos, blocks, potato heads, etc. However, if my child wanted a play kitchen set, I don't see a problem with it. I work in a hospital and see both boys and girls playing with the toy kitchen set.

Answer 7

Why no longer furnish a hyperlink to the certainly Ms. article, quite than to a piece of writing on suggested article?? How demanding. submit to in ideas that Ms. venture is to divulge sexism and to inspire feminism. that's like comparing your comments to those of any activist; maximum run-of-the-mill feminists which comprise myslef could no longer care much less what an lively action picture does with its characters.

Answer 8

I wouldn't buy that retro style pink kitchen that they're selling at costco. I don't want to hark back to the 50's, personally. I would buy a functional looking gender neutral kitchen for either sex. Just as I would buy trucks and play power tools for a girl.

Edit: While it would be nice to only buy educational toys, as toddlers, kids want to imitate their parents first and foremost. The imaginative play inspired by kitchens and power tools is how a toddler learns, so I don't think they should be avoided.

Answer 9

Sorta. My 5 year old niece loves books so I went to buy her one about princess's (she loves them). Went through a few to see what they teach and found nearly all of them to picture the women not being able to take care of herself. Sleeping beauty for example just sleeps until her guy rescues her. What does that teach? So I got her the book "Paper Bag Princess". If you ever get the chance look it up, it's really cute and good.

Don't go as far as not getting the pink think for her because it's what she likes. Do limit that on things like Bratz dolls and stuff.

Good question
Beth

Answer 10

My son used to love "My Little Pony". He had a million of them. He would play with his sister's Barbie dolls too (of course he had more fun taking their heads off and drawing on them with Sharpies), and I think he enjoyed them more than she did.
My daughter loved cars, and to this day is angry at me because I didn't understand why she wanted a poster of a Ferrari (and therefore didn't buy her) and the REAL Barbie car and not the cheapo one that I did buy her.
Neither one of them is gay, so these stereotypical toys that they make for boys and girls are nonsensical especially when they are very young. Little kids will play with anything.

Answer 11

I simply buy toys for my toddler son that he likes. Most of his toys are "boy" toys, but he does have a kitchen set and grocery cart which are probably considered "girl" toys. I think if you purposely buy or not buy certain toys, it will only deprive children of their creativity and development. I think if a parent makes and issue out of a toy, then that makes it an issue for the child.