Toys Should Not Be Gender Biased Essay - 1321 Words

â€Å"Raise boys and girls the same way,† a phrase originally said by neo-conceptual artist Jenny Holzer, that urges parents as well as people to raise children without a heavy influence of gender stereotypes and let the child discover how they want to represent themselves. A large divide between little boys and girls is shown in the toy industry. The retail chain Target recognized the influence of the gender bias toys and the impact they have on children and parents and began neutralizing labels within the toy department. Toys should not be gender biased because gender stereotyping has wavered back and forth over the past fifty years. Gender-biased toys can have an impact on a child’s development, and the unnecessary labeling of toys has sparked a cultural shift in society. The battle between the marketing of gender bias toys and stereotypes dates back to the 1950s. Girls were given toys which reflected the life of the homemaker women at the time and boys were influen ced by army toys to become â€Å"tough† men. However, society grew out of these â€Å"norms† by the 1970s, according to Elizabeth Sweet, a sociologist studying children and gender equality at the University of California, nearly 70 percent of toys had no gender-specific labels at all (Robb). In fact, the most desired Christmas toy of 1970 was the Nerf Ball. The packaging of the ball displays an image of both a boy and girl playing with the â€Å"incredibly soft and spongy synthetic foam† ball. The following nine years ofShow MoreRelatedThe Gender Marketing Of Toys : Shaping The Way Americans Shop And Play Essay1623 Words   |  7 PagesThe Gender Marketing of Toys: Shaping the Way Americans Shop and Play In the article, â€Å"The Gender Marketing of Toys: An Analysis of Color and Type of Toy on the Disney Website† authors Carol Auster and Claire Mansbach examined gender marketing of Disney products on the Internet. The way toys are marketed to the public shapes the perception of whether it is appropriate for a particular child to play with a certain toy. The authors found it important to study Disney toys marketed on the Internet becauseRead MoreGender Equality And Gender Discrimination1429 Words   |  6 PagesGender equality has been actively sought out for, chiefly by women, throughout history with a goal to establish equal rights and opportunities among all genders. 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