Gender Stereotyping in Children’s Toys Today, toy stores divide the many toys, games, and movies into two primary categories: boy and girl. Toys teach children at such a young age what their roles are in society and that they cannot stray from these roles. Through their gender-biased toys, boys learn to be tough, “warrior like” leaders and girls learn to be nurturers. Girls’ toys stress physical beauty and appearance while boys’ toys focus on respect for their physical abilities (Campenni 122). Gender socialization through toys, teaches and reinforces stereotypical gender roles.
For this writing assignment I have visited a few toy stores (Toy House, Toys R Us) recently to do Observational and Descriptive research on gender role development in the boys and girls sections for ages 4-7 years of age. In the next few paragraphs I will be describing and sharing what I have observed on the differences between the boys and girls sections. Compared to what I remember and seen as a child myself. Some of the things that I noticed right away in the boys sections were that about 70% of the toys were louder and made many different sounds. Some of these sounds were that of fire truck sirens, play toy guns, and action figures that spoke words.
At this stage they are now becoming more curious and want to play with toys, teeth are beginning to sprout and they are now eating solids. At the age of 1 the child will begin walking and playing with favourite toys. Their mental development takes a huge leap and they start to build, arrange cars in a row even in colour sequence. The child will be able to use a beaker and eat food (finger food). They will be saying a couple of clear words – ma, papa, dada and my personal favourite ‘no’.
Learning Gender from Toys and Clothes I visited Wal-Mart Thursday, 4/19/2012 and observed the toy aisle. The toys were segregated based on gender. You can’t really tell which items are intended for boys/girls. I want to touch on an episode of Wipe Swap that I watched on television. There was a 9 year old Caucasian boy whose favorite color was pink, and he enjoyed playing with Barbie dolls.
Most of the time the colors on these aisles are not very bright the colors are more natural. The toys are also more masculine and they show how men are successful and they try to inspire the kids that play with these toys to be more like the action figure that by being like them that they could also be successful. The toys for boys suggest that when they get older they are supposed to get jobs and do the repairs around the house. On the other hand the girl toy aisle is very bright and the colors range from pinks, purples, and yellows. The toys for girls are Barbie dolls, baby dolls, stuffed animals, and doll houses.
The plot begins with a very traditionally: “Once upon a time,” being such a vague setting of time and place most children would be able to follow the plot. Anstey (2002, pp. 445-457) reported “All texts are consciously constructed and have particular social, cultural, political, and economic purposes” In the narrative ‘Baby Boomsticks’ the author has written for a universal audience, both boys and girls of all cultural backgrounds, ethnicity and environmental surroundings. The economic purpose of Margaret Wilds literature is to be entertaining, with an underlying theme portraying a gentle message to her reader to be tolerant and accepting of differences in others (Wild, 2003). Wild`s book has a didactic purpose to celebrate differences and in doing so addresses bullying in the current society.
Parents also give their children gender-specific toys. Common toys for boys are action figures, toy cars, and balls. Girls are frequently given dolls, tea sets, and stuffed animals. Even how children are treated is based on the child’s sex. Mothers are often stern with their daughters and easy on their sons.
Post modernists believe that some aspects of identity can bought, therefore changing how identity is formed. There are many agencies of socialisation which help form identity. The family are primary agents of socialisation, showing us how to act from a young age, giving us gender typical toys to play with and changing the way to speak to different genders i.e. ‘stop acting like a boy!’ Or ‘be man and get on with it!’ Family teaches us to accept our ascribed status, feminists say that from an early age the family socialise girls to be taught to be housewives via the toys they play with. Education and school are also agents of socialisation although it is secondary socialisation.
The way children are spoken to, played with, touched, etc. I think the expectations from society influence the way parents raise their children. Growing up, children are completely stereotyped. For example, boys are thought to mostly play with toy trucks/cars, action figures, and tools and girls are thought to mostly play with Barbie dolls, makeup, and kitchen sets. Mainly because that stereotypical societal behavior is encouraged through advertisements on a daily basis.
It was just assumed that they were to take on the role given to them. In these societies, it would be crazy to think of the women being the “bread winners” for the families. Many believe gender roles are adapted at a young age when a child is still developing. Boys are usually given super heroes and soldiers to play with, while girls are given Barbie’s and baby dolls. This teaches children from a young