Last week, Dan Nessel, founder of the toy review blog Dad Does, launched
a petition which calls for the Toy Industry Association (TIA) to eliminate its
Boy Toy of the Year and Girl Toy of the Year Awards from its annual awards
ceremony, citing that they reinforce gender stereotypes.
The topic of toy gender stereotyping has caught steam
recently, specifically as major retailers such as Target
and Toys
‘R’ Us have taken steps to move away from gender-based signs.
The RTP team shares
their thoughts on the Dad Does blog’s petition, and identifies the steps major industry
players should take to approach the toy gender issue going forward.
Debbie Hauss,
Editor-in-Chief: I am in favor of diminishing the focus on stereotypes of
any kind and applaud the Dad Does folks for taking this stand. I’m also a fan
of entrepreneurs like Debbie Sterling, who invented the Goldiblox brand to
empower young girls to try out previously male-dominated fields, such as
engineering. If we teach our children, starting at very young ages, that there
are no barriers to their aspirations and interests, then the entire world will
become a more accepting environment. Maybe we also will see a decrease in
bullying as a result, which has become a greater problem as more bullies feel
empowered to harass others via the Internet and social media.
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Adam Blair, Executive
Editor: I’ll admit that I’m not entirely certain how to respond when it
comes to the idea of removing gender labeling from children’s toys, as Target
has done. My politically progressive overall outlook inclines me to applaud the
efforts of parenting blog DadDoes.com, which has called on the Toy Industry
Association to remove the “Best Boy’s Toy” and “Best Girl’s
Toy” categories from its annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. Rigid
gender lines can be a real problem, particularly if they keep girls from
developing a budding interest in traditionally “male” preserves such
as science and math. On a purely practical level, though, I wonder if these
labels aren’t still useful as merchandising and purchasing guides for parents
(or often clueless uncles like myself). Perhaps it’s less a matter of
institutions and retailers applying labels, and more a matter of individual
consumers choosing to either use, or ignore, those labels. I would be fine with
buying my great-niece a “boy’s” toy if that’s what she wants. Maybe
we should let the market decide whether gender labeling is valuable or has
become an outdated relic.
Alicia Fiorletta,
Content Strategist: When Target first announced that it was removing gender
labels from its toy section, I waited for the hate to pour in. The reality is
there will always people who do not like change. But I soon realized that the
positive feedback outweighed the negative, and many people don’t like limiting
the toys their children play with. Will having “girl” and
“boy” toy sections prevent parents from breaking down gender
boundaries? Absolutely not. However, I can’t help but wonder if there’s a
bigger opportunity here to expand our way of thinking and how we perceive the
toy market and how children respond to toys. (I always say kids are a lot
smarter than we give them credit for.) For example, retailers should focus on more
descriptive terms like “science toys,” “building toys,”
“cooking,” “cleaning” and “automotive.” I’m
hoping that the Toy Industry Association sees this petition not as a threat,
but as an opportunity to do the same.
David DeZuzio,
Managing Editor: Yes, I roll my eyes every time I see housekeeping and
cookware toys specifically targeted to girls. It gets very annoying to see
little girls herded toward household tasks while boys are encouraged to
scientifically blow up supervillains atop skyscraper military installations as
they win the World Series. But, I do think removing categories from an industry award
show is overreaching. Our children have no idea who the Toy Industry
Association is, so let the TIA congratulate each other on as many categories as
they want. It’s up to us to teach our kids what’s important and that there are
no specific roles assigned to either gender. If the rest of the toy industry
feels it is necessary to address gender issues, great. Let’s start the simplest
way possible: include boys and girls in every toy’s marketing and art. It
wouldn’t hurt to get a boy or two on any household chore related box art as
they, too, have the ability to enjoy cooking and vacuuming. I’ve found my
children (one girl and one boy) suffer from no gender issues because they don’t
care what they’re playing with as long as it’s fun; the whole point of being a
kid.
Glenn Taylor,
Associate Editor: I think from a practicality mindset the push makes sense.
The 12 other categories that succinctly describe the toys up for awards should
give a more accurate view of what toys are best suited for different children
anyway. In the case of the stores themselves, there are so many classifications
for toys as it is that I don’t see how gender needs to come into mind. If
“dolls” and “action figures” (or any other major toy
category that applies to a shelf) are labeled simply as such upon placement in
the store, it doesn’t really matter what gender the toy is intended for. The
parent or family member buying the gift may actually have an easier time
finding the toy depending on how the retailer stocks the shelves, especially if
full categories are listed at the beginning of each aisle.
Klaudia Tirico,
Associate Editor: When I first heard of the uproar to remove gender toy
labeling in children’s toys, I couldn’t help but think, “Ah, America found
something new to get offended over.” But after thinking about it, I understand
it being an important issue to some people. However, I don’t see how changing
an awards category will fix the overall problem. Like some of my colleagues
said: it’s up to the parents to guide their children into knowing that their
gender won’t define the person they will grow up to be. (This adorable little
girl’s parents seem to setting a great example.) But it won’t hurt the Toy
Industry Association to promote the breakdown of gender boundaries in the
future.
