Like this above picture shows, children are all born as similar little babies and gender roles are what forces them into the stereotypical charateristics as they grow. Wouldn't it be better to allow children to explore other characteristics so they grow up understanding that they do not have to follow these traditional roles? Such as my example in a previous blog post with the boy Dean who wanted to play with his "girly" FurReal Friend toy dog. By playing with a toy that came with pink accessories, he was able to enjoy different gender characteristics, being caring and nurturing, that boys usually do not experience with most genderized boy toys.
Going into this project I realized that it is not only the toys that influence children into traditional gender roles. Toy companies have to relate to their audience to sell more products. The easiest way to do this is with genderizing toys for specific consumers. Even with new technology, new toys are still produced for specific genders such as colorized nintendo DS's, iPad cases, and genderized app games for kids. Children are becoming exposed to newer technical toys as generations go by but they will still receive these gender role characteristics. The problem with gendered toys will continue unless we recognize that gender neutral toys are beneficial and just as fun for children. Children need us to encourage them and teach them about gender equality. Once we realize children's genderized toys are a problem for their growing minds, we can make a change to gender equality acceptance and gender neutrality.
Parents kind of shaped what the pathway for the kids to grow as a boy or as a girl. Also like what you said, toy companies are diving toys to two main categories: toys for boys and toys for girls. People in the society always like to prescribe how a girl should look like or how a boy should look like. They treat boys and girls to what the gender they have assigned when babies were born. Adults are only thinking of what they want, but never care about what the children want.
ReplyDeleteI see where you are going with this. I think that the biggest part of the problem is the parents. Toy companies just make the product. It is the parents that decide which toys their children will play with. From birth, it is the parents who decide if their child will wear pink or blue and if they will play with dolls or trucks. It's sad, but until parents can have an open mind about gender roles and teach their kids the same, it will be like it's always been.
ReplyDeleteMy project also included gendering through toys, such as through television and the media. I observed that the commercials geared towards boys were more action packed and had loud music to accompany the product , in sharp contrast to a commercial geared towards girls that had soothing music while the little girl played with her doll in a nurturing way. Boys are often rough housed with while girls are treated more daintily. The saying " boys will be boys" captures the essence that boys are expected to get hurt and break things in contrast there is no saying "girls will be girls"
ReplyDelete