Girls play with Barbies and boys play with toy cars, right? Well, this gender discrimination has toy makers and stores believing that they can market toys better in gender-neutral situations. Hamleys is a toy giant in England and they recently changed over from pink and blue sections into sections, organized by types (soft toys) or by interests (nature). On the contrary, Lego will soon be releasing a new toy aimed towards girls. They are curvy Legos that go along with hair salons and coffee shop set-ups. Back in the 1960's Lego was believed to be for both girls and boys, but now they are trying to market their products better during the tough economic times and I for one don't blame them. Girls want to play with things that look more like their other toys and what their mothers look like, instead of awkward block men that go in blocked shaped cars. Writer, Peggy Orenstein, makes the point that, "Hamleys is on to something, though it will doubtless meet with resistance — even rejection" (Orenstein).
I agree with many of the points made in this article. Orenstein knows her audience, parents that already want to know what to buy their kids for Christmas 2012 and for retailers debating whether or not to reorganize their stores as well. To me, it makes sense to keep dolls and fake beauty salons in one section because the buyers will most likely be young girls. Keeping it gender specific makes the trip into the toy store easier and quicker when you know where to find a toy because a truck might be in the outdoors section, but could also fit in the automotive section. There are too many possibilities, when most likely a boy will want it. I do not mean to be sexist in any way, but to convey reality, I do not know many young girls who enjoy playing with fake guns. This article could spark controversy in the toy world.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/opinion/does-stripping-gender-from-toys-really-make-sense.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
I totally agree. Nowadays, people don't want to be spending a ton of time in the store. Why not make it easier to find what you're looking for by making it gender specific? Especially for those distant relatives who never know what to buy for Christmas, they'll know, "oh, this is specifically a girl toy, I'll get it for my niece."
ReplyDeleteI agree but also disagree. I think toys should (and usually are) grouped by its assumed gender audience. With that being said, making toys gender neutral isn't a bad idea either. It unifies kids instead of separating them. Little boys might not want to play with barbie, and girl might not want to play with toy guns so therefore the two rarely get to play together. Making some toys appropriate for either gender may help unite kids on the playground and siblings at home. In addition, making something gender neutral will allow it to have a larger audience which could result in more success. I think it should be a 50/50 split between toys that are gender specific and those that are gender neutral. :)
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