Sixth Graders Take Toys 'R' Us to Task for Gender Stereotyping

by Michael Jones · 2009-10-09 17:57:00 UTC
Topics:

Toys R Us

A group of sixth graders in Sweden have managed to whip up an official complaint against mega toy retailer Toys 'R' Us for falling prey to gender stereotyping in its annual toy catalog. Huh...guess if a boy wants to play house or a girl wants to be a superhero, they ought to buy their toys from somewhere else.

These are some pretty politically and socially aware sixth graders. The story has it that they were studying the issue of gender roles, and came across a Toys 'R' Us catalog that featured boys playing with active toys, and girls doing more passive activities. Noting that these depictions reinforce certain gender stereotypes, the sixth graders filed a complaint with the Reklamombudsmannen, a self-regulatory agency (and a ridiculously difficult word to type!) that monitors advertising in Sweden.

One teen noted that small girls were dressed as princesses, while boys were dressed as superheroes. Girls were also given dolls, while boys were given action toys.

In finding with the students, the Reklamombudsmannen said that the Toys 'R' Us catalog, whether they intended to do so or not, fostered outdated thinking about gender roles.

"Taken together, the catalogue portrays children’s games and choice of toys in a narrow-minded way, and this exclusion of boys and girls from different types of toys is, in itself, degrading to both genders," their statement said.

So what is this...a valid point about gender roles, and a victory for some very inclusive sixth graders? Or is this over-reaction of the sort that riles people up and gets them damning liberals for being too over-sensitive? Should toy marketing include boys that play with dolls, or girls who want to be Superman?

Either way, score a victory for political engagement in the sixth grade.

(Photo courtesy of MNgilen's photostream on Flickr.)

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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