from: Sara
One of the best times of being a young girl, is birthdays. Birthdays are important to young children, especially with all of the toys and birthday cards. As I was walking down the isle of a popular store, this card stuck out. It was so big and pink. I am 20 years old, and this card even attracted me. Imagine what that would do for a younger child! As I was reading the card, it was telling a story. It reminded me of a fairy tail. This card even starts out as "Once upon a party-time." Fairly tails are popular at the age that this card is reserved for. By the end of reading this card, it basically said that it was "œcool"€ to be a princess. The figure that is supposed to represent a princess is giving the idea that girls are suppose to act this way on their birthday, sit there and just look pretty. There are presents surrounding the princess, but they haven't been touched. I don't know about anyone else, but when I was younger, on my birthdays, I would destroy my house just to try to open my presents. This card is filled with different shades of pink; the pony'™s hair is even pink, and pink just happens to be the popular color for young girls. The card also has a section for children to cut out to make a crown. Wow! It looks just like the one the princess is wearing. Coincidence? I think not! Basically, this card is attracting young girls. It has a built-in crown and full of “girlish†colors. Even though I was attracted to this card, everything about it is absolutely wrong. It is giving off the idea that girls are suppose to be calm, attractive and proper. It is hard to see the writing, so below I copied the card's€™ message€:
The story of the Birthday Princess. Once upon a party-time, in the far off Kingdom of Cakedom, there lived a beautiful princess who was totally fun and very cool. Every day her loyal subjects, like all 364 of them, including her pony, Wishes, brought cakes and gifts to the princess and told her how lucky they were to have her. This made her so happy, she decided to share the fun, and proclaimed that everyone should have his or her own special day-a birthday- to be the center of attention. Happy Birthday Your Royal Highness... See? Told you she was cool.
So, being a princess is supposed to be cool? What type of message is that? In the card, the words "€œbeautiful princess" and "€œSee? Told you she was cool"€ is super sized and bold. It sticks out and attracts the eye. This card is really gendered bias. Many young children that receive this card would want to look like the princess, because they would want to be cool on their birthday. Children see in the cartoon-media of how princesses act; helpless, waiting to be rescued and attractive. So, giving this card as a birthday present will reinforce the idea that young girls should be like princesses. As for being cool, young girls are conditioned into being cool. In some
girls'€™ state of mind, it is important for them to be cool because they think that they will gain more respect from other children. This idea will follow them throughout their school years. Like most researchers say, "€œIt starts at home."
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