How Society Advertises Toys

 

From: Lily

            Boys can’t play with dolls and like the color pink. Girls can’t play with action figures and cars and shouldn’t like the color blue. Growing up, you were given a set amount of colors, toys and habits you would like or should exhibit. Boys typically were given action figures, supposed to like the colors blue and green, and were supposed to act tough based on how their toys have been portrayed. Girls were supposed to like pink and purple, given barbie dolls and were supposed to act dainty and as if they need a man. Society groups these together by the toys we give kids.

            Boys are moved toward toys that are tough looking, that aren’t afraid to get dirty and represent colors that they like. These Legos represent ninjas, seeing as all the ninja figures are males and not females. It shows the colors red, blue and green, and displaying weapons that boys might like more than girls. This technique is showing color and how it sways someone’s opinion of getting the toy. The American Girl doll, the title itself, makes it seem as if boys can not have one as it is forwarded towards girls. The color is pink all around with girly designs placed on the box. This makes boys not want one as it is a doll and dolls are usually for girls and that the color is off for them.

            These social norms that are advertised in stores and installed into children growing up has created a problem with how children should feel about themselves and what they like. In “The ‘Two Cultures’ of Childhood”, it stated, “Children quickly develop strong gender schemas, cognitive associations of different attributes, behaviors, objects, or social practices with “male” and “female.” (pg. 59). We are so used to conforming to social norms and rules that we were brought up with and toys that aren’t meant for boys or girls creates embarrassment to that child for wanting it and being made fun of for it.