BREAKING NEWS! we have our first toy retailer who has taken the Playfair Pledge! The One World Shop in Edinburgh have promised to make sure their range of toys and children’s products do not uphold stereotypes. Know a local shop who might do the same? Why not use our model letter to write to your local toyshop? And don’t forget to let us know the result!
![somekindofbecca:
sheonlyreadsbooks:
girljanitor:
Steve Bowler tweeted a photo of an assignment that his 8-year-old daughter’s teacher said she did incorrectly. The homework assignment had a list of toys or activities, and the kids were supposed to categorize them based on whether they were for boys, girls, or both, with equal numbers in each box. The assignment takes for granted the gendering of toys, and that there is a “correct” answer to the question of which gender they are appropriate for.
Bowler’s daughter did the assignment differently. After placing 3 items in the “boys” category and 2 in the “girls” group, she made additional boxes to add more things in the “both” column.
But at the bottom, the teacher notes that the assignment wasn’t done correctly. The point of the assignment is to categorize; the implicit message — that boys and girls are different types of people who like different types of things — isn’t questioned. A child sees this list of items and doesn’t gender them in the way the lesson took for granted; the reaction wasn’t to acknowledge her innovation and perhaps question the gendering, it was simply to say she did it wrong.
Bowler, for the record, said he was proud his daughter failed the assignment and just wished she’d done even worse on it.
via sociological images
[some gender-related bullshit removed.]
THIS IS SO FUCKED UP. NO. NO. NO. IF MY KID EVER GETS GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT LIKE THIS, I’M GOING TO FUCKING ADMINISTRATION. THAT IS BULLSHIT.
Wow.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdpb0u3Wfy1rvmzslo1_500.jpg)
Steve Bowler tweeted a photo of an assignment that his 8-year-old daughter’s teacher said she did incorrectly. The homework assignment had a list of toys or activities, and the kids were supposed to categorize them based on whether they were for boys, girls, or both, with equal numbers in each box. The assignment takes for granted the gendering of toys, and that there is a “correct” answer to the question of which gender they are appropriate for.
Bowler’s daughter did the assignment differently. After placing 3 items in the “boys” category and 2 in the “girls” group, she made additional boxes to add more things in the “both” column.
But at the bottom, the teacher notes that the assignment wasn’t done correctly. The point of the assignment is to categorize; the implicit message — that boys and girls are different types of people who like different types of things — isn’t questioned. A child sees this list of items and doesn’t gender them in the way the lesson took for granted; the reaction wasn’t to acknowledge her innovation and perhaps question the gendering, it was simply to say she did it wrong.
Bowler, for the record, said he was proud his daughter failed the assignment and just wished she’d done even worse on it.
[some gender-related bullshit removed.]
THIS IS SO FUCKED UP. NO. NO. NO. IF MY KID EVER GETS GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT LIKE THIS, I’M GOING TO FUCKING ADMINISTRATION. THAT IS BULLSHIT.
Wow.
Provide a variety of toys for your kids! - [Guest Vlog]
GUEST VLOG TIME! Sarah talks about her childhood experiences, why she doesn’t advocate the term “tomboy” and why she thinks it is important to give your children choice and variety.
MORE GUEST VIDEOS: http://bit.ly/OaTZKx
TOYS AND GENDER PLAYLIST: http://bit.ly/S67jlN
Something you’d like to talk about? Want to guest vlog for Those Pesky Dames? Click to find out how!
Find Sarah on Tumblr: http://espace-temps.tumblr.com/
Pink for girls, and blue for boys
Jenn talks about the split between girl’s toys and boy’s toys, what this teaches kids about gender roles, and asks for your opinions/experiences!
(No vid from Emily this week as sadly she is temporarily laptopless but we should all be back in full force next week! - Becca x)
Find this Dame online:
Tumblr: bitemebeautiful.tumblr.com
Twitter: @jenncanrelyonme
Email: jenn@thosepeskydames.com
Toys and gender
Have some thoughts about gender stereotyping in toys from Subi. What are your thoughts? Let us know :)
(Sorry for the general video lateness this week!)
This Dame
Tumblr: http://uswhoresdontneedyou.tumblr.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thatpeskysubi
Right folks, if I’m being honest, anything I try to get up tonight is going to be rushed, late and a bit unstructured. So I’m going to upload tomorrow instead, and hopefully give you a better video as a result.
In the meantime for the those who haven’t seen it yet, check out this perfect rant on marketing from young Riley - Becca x
This week’s TOPIC ANNOUNCEMENT is titled “oh crap, I totally forgot it was Sunday yesterday”. So, moving on…
THIS WEEK: Gender stereotypes in toys, products and marketing for kids.
- The most voted for topic on our Facebook poll! You asked, you get.
NEXT WEEK: Women in comedy
- ‘cause it’s the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, woo!
THE WEEK AFTER: How to find support/other feminists
- This didn’t get so many votes, but it’s something a lot of people have asked us since our TV spot, and we figure those who did vote for it are probably those newest to feminism/who need the most support.
You may have noticed we’re not strictly following the order of our topics poll, but we have used it to shuffle around our schedule for the next few months. And we’ll run a new poll in a few weeks, and probably every month or so now, to make sure you’re still interested.
As ever if you’d like to do a guest video on these or any other feminist topic then please let us know!
Now I really need to get started on my video for this week, it may be another late one… - Becca x
[First image is of a three panel comic strip. The first panel is titled “boys toys” and shows a male child being given an exciting lego/mechano like toy, the second panel is titled “girls toys” and shows a female child being given a doll. The final panel is titled “subsequently…” and features two male characters asking why there are so few girl engineers. The comic is from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (although I rearranged the layout slightly)
Second image shows British comedian Josie Long, a white woman with short brown hair, standing against a white wall smiling at the camera. It was taken by Idil Sukan on Flickr.
Third image shows a black and white illustration of a woman looking thoughtful with the caption “I’m a Feminist, now what?” I’ve seen this image around a lot but have no idea of the original source. If anyone knows it I’ll add it in here.]
