Gender Roles In Toy Land

2 Pages 590 Words

Gender Roles in Toy Land

A parent’s responsibilities include but are not limited to: being a role model, leading by example, implementing a confident and genuine perception of self-awareness, as well as protector and disciplinarian when appropriate. One of the most important concepts for a parent to consider is to let their children be just that: children. Childhood goes by entirely too fast as it is, why hasten the process?

Explaining to a child in adult terms why he or she should not play with certain “gender specified” toys is pointless. What an adult mind intends and an innocent child perceives, are not in the same universe, let alone the same ballpark. A parent’s job description does not include “toy nazi.” Parents should mediate playtime rather than control it. Children should be allowed to play freely and without the burden of adult social stereotypes.

Is an action figure not a doll? Is it safe to assume that a boy who receives a Barbie doll as a gift may not grow up to be homosexual? Is it not also possible that the same child may instead, become greatly interested in anatomy and pursue a career as a sculptor or an orthopedic surgeon? As children, we are often provided with a vast number of fallacies that are often imbedded in the psyche as gospel. Such lies include, boys play shop, girls play house, crying is for sissies, dolls are for girls, and your face will stick that way if you don’t stop. (The latter being the least harmful.) Is it really going to hurt a boy to play with an Easy bake oven? Ask any woman if they appreciate a man who knows his way around a kitchen.

Inversely, are girls not to play with Hotwheels or follow dad around the lawn while he’s mowing, bubble mower in tow? There is no harm in a little girl playing with a toy tool set as opposed to a play kitchen. Parents should not concern themselves with the gender associated with a toy, but the toy’s ability to captu...