Services

Blog Category

RSS Feeds

Resources

There are many ways to do it. There is only one way to do it safely. Use a condom.

Girl Legos, Boy Legos and Gender Stereotypes

February 21, 2012

Lego has introduced a new line of their famous click-together toys, this time, for girls. I didn’t know Legos weren’t for girls in the first place. Apparently, Legos thinks girls can’t handle primary colors, so the new Friends line is all pinks and pastels. Worse, instead of exciting sets like kits built around action and adventure, the Friends series kits include a beauty shop, a cafe, a treehouse, and a fashion design studio. The most adventurous thing the friends co is take their convertible to the car wash and add sparkles to it.
Could boys play with the Friends kits? Sure, and girls can play with the kits marketed to boys. But the gender-stereotyped messages are on TV, in ads, and on the packaging, and these message influence the toys parents buy and children request. Very early in childhood, they learn which colors and toys they are “supposed” to enjoy based on their gender. It’s a sadly limiting way to experience play and fantasy.
To illustrate the silliness of assuming girls and boys need gender-stereotyped toys, a company called Rebellious Pixels created the Gendered Ad Remixer. On the site, visitors can mash together the video for “boy toy” ads and the audio for “girl toy” ads, or the other way ’round. Try it here. To see how the remixer applies to Lego toys, click here.
The next time you shop for toys, try breaking the mold by exploring aisles you may not typically visit. You may find a wealth of new ideas for ways your child can explore a world of play.

Share on Facebook

Written by MDavis · Filed Under Buzz on the Birds and Bees

What’s your question or concern about children, teens and sexuality? Drop me a line or make a comment, and I’ll address it. You may also find answers in my book, Sexuality Talking Points, or purchase a private phone or in-person consultation. See the Product page to order.