What Do We Say to Our Children?‏

From: Kathryn
My photograph represents the role of parents as socializing agents. It showcases how parents encourage their children to play with toys that society deems acceptable for their children’s gender. I used color to emphasize the difference between male and female toys (pink for girls,
blue for boys). I angled the picture in a way that the lines for each separate picture are leading to the parent. When placed together it shows a point which is where the parents are located, demonstrating how the decision over what toy to buy ultimately resides with the parent. If you look closely these lines do not line up but are in fact disconnected. This represents that these toys are not seen as equally male and female, but considered more suited for one particular gender. I tried to keep faces out of the picture so those who view it could put themselves in that situation. It addresses that growing up we each have experienced being shown cars or dolls and it is viewed as normal to consider these toys as gender specific. On each side of the picture the parent is holding a toy, showing it to their child almost in hopes of encouraging them to pick that toy. What it says to this child is here, this is acceptable, this is what you should want and like. This is what you are expected to enjoy. While I feel some of the socialization comes from the way retailers group these toys and how companies market them, I believe that it is important that when one is a parent the decision of what your child plays with ultimately resides with you.