For what I hope is the last time in 2007, I find myself asking: What year is this again?
I'm not talking about abstinence-only education, or Bush's appointment of birth control opponents to high ranking
reproductive health positions, or even "purity balls" (although I may have to get to those someday soon). No, I'm
talking about toys.
'Tis the season for abundant toy advertising and shopping, so naturally the NOW office has been abuzz about the
ubiquitous "Rose Petal Cottage" TV commercials. If you haven't seen these ads, count yourself lucky. Honestly, if I
didn't know better, I would think they were beamed in from 1955, via some lost satellite in space. Or maybe it's a
deeply subversive parody that a clever (and rich) band of feminists snuck onto the airwaves in heavy rotation.
According to the makers at Playskool, the Rose Petal Cottage is "a place where her dreams have room to grow." And
what might those dreams be? Well, baking muffins, arranging furniture and doing the dishes. The voiceover even
declares that the toy house will "entertain her imagination" just before the little girl opens the miniature washing
machine and says – I kid you not – "Let's do laundry!"
Now, I'm not knocking the important work of housekeeping, but this commercial is aimed solely at females (there are
two versions -- one designed to entice little girls and one targeting their moms). Products like the Rose Petal Cottage
and the marketing campaigns that accompany them perpetuate the notion that cooking and cleaning are women's
work, and girls might as well start getting used to that fact at an early age. C'mon Susie, this scrubbing and ironing
look like fun!
Of course the message of the Rose Petal Cottage would not be complete without its flip side . . . the Tonka 3-in-1
Scoot n' Scoop truck. This commercial states its theory right up front: "Boys. What can you say? They're just built
different!"
The not so subtle concept is that boys are adventurous and unpredictable. Playing "their way" involves mischievous
acts like pulling flowers out of the garden and tracking dirt across the kitchen floor. But thanks to Tonka, a boy can
channel "what he does naturally" into sorting shapes and learning to walk. Yup, those sure sound like boys-only
activities to me.
The idea that a girl might want to ride on a truck, or a boy play house, well, that's just too radical for most toy
manufacturers. They prefer the status quo, thank you very much.
But what about toys that promote learning -- surely their marketing is more forward-thinking, right? Imagine my
surprise when NOW received an email from a woman alerting us to the fact that even the Discovery Channel's online
store organizes toys by gender beginning at age five. As the email writer explains: "Since the store is a major one for
science and technology toys, I worry that it is just another way women are being discouraged from pursuing interest
in science and technology at an early age."
Another disappointment is the makeover Dora the Explorer received recently. Yes, you can still buy dolls and
products that look like the same Dora you see on TV, but now you can also buy an elongated and glamorous Dora,
too. These new Doras are approaching Bratz territory, and that's disheartening. Dora is one of the few positive
female role models in cartoons -- a smart, brave, curious girl who doesn't look like a supermodel in the making. Why
must she be robbed of her uniqueness?
Take a trip through Toys "R" Us and pay close attention to the kinds of toys that are marketed specifically to girls or
boys. The girls' section features dolls, fashion, jewelry, and a few crafts and other items that are best described as
decorative. The boys' section contains cars, planes, sports equipment. These toys seem to value action, dexterity
and skill. Many boys' toys literally and figuratively encourage them to reach for the stars, while girls' toys urge them to
play at being stars, like the troubled pop princesses who rule our celebrity-obsessed culture.
To some folks, I might sound like Scrooge…disparaging decades of toy tradition. Or, this might sound like a pretty
silly concern with everything else going on in the world. But the messages we send to kids as they are growing up
have the power to influence the rest of their lives. And these toys do send a message about the roles of women and
men in our society.
Through the world of toys, girls and boys are given separate dreams to follow. Girls are prepared for a future of
looking pretty, keeping house and taking care of babies. Boys are given a pass on that domain, and instead pointed
toward the outside world of challenge, physical development and achievement.
A lot of this has to do with making money, I'm sure. After all, if girls and boys don't share toys, families with kids of
both genders have to buy twice as many products. But it's also about promoting difference between the sexes. Our
society, heck, the whole world, still isn't ready to give up the standards that define gender and all the rules and
customs that go with it.
Women will never be fully equal until we, and all of our society, stop restricting our children's aspirations based on
their sex, and constantly directing them toward predetermined roles. It starts with pink and blue baby clothes, then
dolls and trucks. Next thing you know, boys and girls are being segregated into separate classrooms and schools
because they "learn differently." Then, they enter the workplace with an outlook that can only perpetuate division and
derision.
Girls and boys both will benefit if we offer them limitless options. They will grow up to be more fully developed people
if we give them the freedom to discover who they are, without the stress of tightly patrolled gender borders.
As I write this, 2008 is on the horizon, and it seems like a fine year to expand our vision of what girls, women, boys
and men can do beyond our outdated, unimaginative conventions. And we can start with something as innocent-
seeming as the toys we buy our kids this holiday season.
I'm not talking about abstinence-only education, or Bush's appointment of birth control opponents to high ranking
reproductive health positions, or even "purity balls" (although I may have to get to those someday soon). No, I'm
talking about toys.
'Tis the season for abundant toy advertising and shopping, so naturally the NOW office has been abuzz about the
ubiquitous "Rose Petal Cottage" TV commercials. If you haven't seen these ads, count yourself lucky. Honestly, if I
didn't know better, I would think they were beamed in from 1955, via some lost satellite in space. Or maybe it's a
deeply subversive parody that a clever (and rich) band of feminists snuck onto the airwaves in heavy rotation.
According to the makers at Playskool, the Rose Petal Cottage is "a place where her dreams have room to grow." And
what might those dreams be? Well, baking muffins, arranging furniture and doing the dishes. The voiceover even
declares that the toy house will "entertain her imagination" just before the little girl opens the miniature washing
machine and says – I kid you not – "Let's do laundry!"
Now, I'm not knocking the important work of housekeeping, but this commercial is aimed solely at females (there are
two versions -- one designed to entice little girls and one targeting their moms). Products like the Rose Petal Cottage
and the marketing campaigns that accompany them perpetuate the notion that cooking and cleaning are women's
work, and girls might as well start getting used to that fact at an early age. C'mon Susie, this scrubbing and ironing
look like fun!
Of course the message of the Rose Petal Cottage would not be complete without its flip side . . . the Tonka 3-in-1
Scoot n' Scoop truck. This commercial states its theory right up front: "Boys. What can you say? They're just built
different!"
The not so subtle concept is that boys are adventurous and unpredictable. Playing "their way" involves mischievous
acts like pulling flowers out of the garden and tracking dirt across the kitchen floor. But thanks to Tonka, a boy can
channel "what he does naturally" into sorting shapes and learning to walk. Yup, those sure sound like boys-only
activities to me.
The idea that a girl might want to ride on a truck, or a boy play house, well, that's just too radical for most toy
manufacturers. They prefer the status quo, thank you very much.
But what about toys that promote learning -- surely their marketing is more forward-thinking, right? Imagine my
surprise when NOW received an email from a woman alerting us to the fact that even the Discovery Channel's online
store organizes toys by gender beginning at age five. As the email writer explains: "Since the store is a major one for
science and technology toys, I worry that it is just another way women are being discouraged from pursuing interest
in science and technology at an early age."
Another disappointment is the makeover Dora the Explorer received recently. Yes, you can still buy dolls and
products that look like the same Dora you see on TV, but now you can also buy an elongated and glamorous Dora,
too. These new Doras are approaching Bratz territory, and that's disheartening. Dora is one of the few positive
female role models in cartoons -- a smart, brave, curious girl who doesn't look like a supermodel in the making. Why
must she be robbed of her uniqueness?
Take a trip through Toys "R" Us and pay close attention to the kinds of toys that are marketed specifically to girls or
boys. The girls' section features dolls, fashion, jewelry, and a few crafts and other items that are best described as
decorative. The boys' section contains cars, planes, sports equipment. These toys seem to value action, dexterity
and skill. Many boys' toys literally and figuratively encourage them to reach for the stars, while girls' toys urge them to
play at being stars, like the troubled pop princesses who rule our celebrity-obsessed culture.
To some folks, I might sound like Scrooge…disparaging decades of toy tradition. Or, this might sound like a pretty
silly concern with everything else going on in the world. But the messages we send to kids as they are growing up
have the power to influence the rest of their lives. And these toys do send a message about the roles of women and
men in our society.
Through the world of toys, girls and boys are given separate dreams to follow. Girls are prepared for a future of
looking pretty, keeping house and taking care of babies. Boys are given a pass on that domain, and instead pointed
toward the outside world of challenge, physical development and achievement.
A lot of this has to do with making money, I'm sure. After all, if girls and boys don't share toys, families with kids of
both genders have to buy twice as many products. But it's also about promoting difference between the sexes. Our
society, heck, the whole world, still isn't ready to give up the standards that define gender and all the rules and
customs that go with it.
Women will never be fully equal until we, and all of our society, stop restricting our children's aspirations based on
their sex, and constantly directing them toward predetermined roles. It starts with pink and blue baby clothes, then
dolls and trucks. Next thing you know, boys and girls are being segregated into separate classrooms and schools
because they "learn differently." Then, they enter the workplace with an outlook that can only perpetuate division and
derision.
Girls and boys both will benefit if we offer them limitless options. They will grow up to be more fully developed people
if we give them the freedom to discover who they are, without the stress of tightly patrolled gender borders.
As I write this, 2008 is on the horizon, and it seems like a fine year to expand our vision of what girls, women, boys
and men can do beyond our outdated, unimaginative conventions. And we can start with something as innocent-
seeming as the toys we buy our kids this holiday season.
This article recently appeared on the NOW web site
and is a direct editorial from their president Kim Gandy
entitled: NOW's Naughty List, Stereotyping Toys
and is a direct editorial from their president Kim Gandy
entitled: NOW's Naughty List, Stereotyping Toys
My Response: I took a course in college entitled Marketing 101 and one of the very first things we
learned was, that if we insist on selling what interest us and not what the public demands, we will without
a doubt go out of business.
As marketers, we don't determine what the public wants, we study and conduct surveys to get a pulse on
the community and bring to market what is in demand.
Our influence extends only to what may interest a segment of society without going against how that
society thinks, feels, or responds to certain stimuli.
If I were tasked with marketing a doll house and brought a campaign to the table that targeted boys ages
3-14, what do you think the manufacturer of the doll house would say to me? I think we all know what
that might be!
Now, is it the manufacture who is hellbent on making sure only girls play with dolls or is it the fact that
girls tend to want to play with dolls and boys kinda just like playing with trucks and so that's how they
want their product advertised?
As a woman, feminist embarrass me to no end. To bring poor little Dora into the conversation is just
wrong. Feminist have flocked to her for obvious reasons and have spoiled any and all innocence of the
show, at least they have if you subscribe to any of their ridiculous drivel.
Imagine, the horror of walking into a Toys "R" Us and seeing things separated into traditional girls and
boys sections. Why is this group so adamant on defining equal as having absolutely no differences...
Hell, she stated earlier that the Marketers were now trying to conform Dora into a more glamorous
character like everyone else on TV and hated that she was losing her uniqueness... Or her differences.
Make up your minds you idiots!!!!!!!! You are setting women back 50 years with your irrational thinking
much like PETA has done to distract from their once noble mission of protecting animals. You have
become radical blow hards in every sense of the word!!!!!!
Come on, you know I'm right! HA HA, I made this page pink on purpose!!
learned was, that if we insist on selling what interest us and not what the public demands, we will without
a doubt go out of business.
As marketers, we don't determine what the public wants, we study and conduct surveys to get a pulse on
the community and bring to market what is in demand.
Our influence extends only to what may interest a segment of society without going against how that
society thinks, feels, or responds to certain stimuli.
If I were tasked with marketing a doll house and brought a campaign to the table that targeted boys ages
3-14, what do you think the manufacturer of the doll house would say to me? I think we all know what
that might be!
Now, is it the manufacture who is hellbent on making sure only girls play with dolls or is it the fact that
girls tend to want to play with dolls and boys kinda just like playing with trucks and so that's how they
want their product advertised?
As a woman, feminist embarrass me to no end. To bring poor little Dora into the conversation is just
wrong. Feminist have flocked to her for obvious reasons and have spoiled any and all innocence of the
show, at least they have if you subscribe to any of their ridiculous drivel.
Imagine, the horror of walking into a Toys "R" Us and seeing things separated into traditional girls and
boys sections. Why is this group so adamant on defining equal as having absolutely no differences...
Hell, she stated earlier that the Marketers were now trying to conform Dora into a more glamorous
character like everyone else on TV and hated that she was losing her uniqueness... Or her differences.
Make up your minds you idiots!!!!!!!! You are setting women back 50 years with your irrational thinking
much like PETA has done to distract from their once noble mission of protecting animals. You have
become radical blow hards in every sense of the word!!!!!!
Come on, you know I'm right! HA HA, I made this page pink on purpose!!
| Your Lovely NOW Officers When did it become a crime for a women to be beautiful, sexy and sensitive... Or have her hair past her shoulders? |
Sorry for getting so angry. It's only fair that you check them out for yourself so I've included a convenient
link to their site. You have to promise though that you are only going there to spy on the enemy and are
going to come back to the real world. We would hate to lose you, but welcome any comments you may
have on this subject. I hate these people for my own reasons and talk about them more often than I
should, but come on, you agree with me don't you. www.now.org
link to their site. You have to promise though that you are only going there to spy on the enemy and are
going to come back to the real world. We would hate to lose you, but welcome any comments you may
have on this subject. I hate these people for my own reasons and talk about them more often than I
should, but come on, you agree with me don't you. www.now.org
Okay, if you made the mistake of coming here without first viewing the 2007 funniest video clip on the
home page, or without browsing the Daily Dose of Humor page, then you return right there this
instance. We must prepare ourselves for more serious things by first exposing ourselves to good old
fashioned humor, it kinda takes the edge off if you know what I mean. Go back now, we'll wait on you.
HOME PAGE DAILY DOSE OF HUMOR
home page, or without browsing the Daily Dose of Humor page, then you return right there this
instance. We must prepare ourselves for more serious things by first exposing ourselves to good old
fashioned humor, it kinda takes the edge off if you know what I mean. Go back now, we'll wait on you.
HOME PAGE DAILY DOSE OF HUMOR
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