Look at this picture. Can you tell if it is a boy or a girl from the back? I can't. What if we were looking at this child from the back and he or she was conducting a science experiment in class? Would that make a difference if we found out it was a girl and not a boy?
How about this picture? Do you think that by putting one gender in an ad for toys makes a difference who those toys are going to get marketed to? Why are we still gender stereotyping toys for children?
This is the picture I would like to see on all toy packaging depicting that girls and boys can play with all toys.
Check out this story about a teenager trying to change how toys are marketed so that the toys' packaging is inviting to boys and girls. She is starting with the Easy Bake Oven because her brother shows an interest in baking but would like to see the oven in other colors and boys depicted in the picture baking on the packaging.
http://www.fox11online.com/news/local/fox-cities/questioning-gender-identity-and-toys#.UogZsnCWjnM.email
It is time for a change in our society. Perhaps we should stop spending so much energy on what toys children play with and not see the value of them engaged in play. Our thinking needs to change in order to see the value of the play. For example, instead of thinking that a boy playing with dolls is going to make him gay, why not think that boys are learning nurturing skills for when they might become a parent some day (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.,b.)? Instead of thinking that boys might become gay if they play in the kitchen and learn to cook, why not think that boys might grow up to be chefs, cooks and contribute to cooking in their households (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.,b.)? Instead of assuming that girls want to play with dolls and anything pink, why not let them play with cars, trucks and army figures (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.,a.)? Girls are going to grow up to drive cars, trucks and become part of the military.
People should be acknowledged for their gifts and talents and not what specific activities they might engage in because although we are gender specific, our gender and/or relationship statuses should not define us (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). So in order for that message to get across, we as educators and parents need to tune in to children's conversations and reflect on our own biases (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). And we can start early with children by providing anti-bias educational environments in our classrooms where everyone is valued regardless of race, culture, gender, and sexual orientation (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010).
Will it be easy for these conversations to take place? That depends on your biases and how they will affect your learning environment. Do you believe that two gay parents are unfit to raise a child because of their sexual orientation? Their sexual orientation really has nothing to do with raising a child, but the love that they show for each other and that child does. There are children living in homes with heterosexual parents that are abusive and not very loving to their children. Does living in that home make it better for the child because the parents are heterosexual? Some food for thought.
References
Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen
Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Ronallo, A. (2012). Questioning identity gender and toys. Retrieved from http://www.fox11online.com/news/local/fox-cities/questioning-gender-identity-and-toys#.UogZsnCWjnM.email
Laureate Education, Inc. (n.d.,a.) "Start Seeing Diversity: Gender". Retrieved from
Laureate Education, Inc. (n.d.,b.). "Start
Seeing Diversity: Sexual Orientation". Retrieved from
https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4067587_1%26url%3D
