Girls Are Caring, Boys Are Violent: How Toys’ Marketing Reinforces Gender Norms
And why its impact on children’s development shouldn’t be dismissed
One recurring critique of my articles on gender norms and how they’re mostly learned, not innate, comes from parents with young kids.
If these norms are really learned, how come little girls and boys often gravitate to gender-typical toys anyway, even when raised in mostly gender-neutral environments with full freedom to choose their toys?
This is a fair question.
For decades, studies have consistently shown this, too: boys and girls generally prefer playing with toys typically associated with their gender. And it might be indeed baffling to see this. In particular, considering that parents are increasingly aware that outdated pink-and-blue stereotypes don’t always serve us, leading them to adopt more gender-neutral parenting approaches.
Here’s the thing, though. Overall, progress in dismantling gender stereotypes has been painfully slow. And while children today might have more freedom to choose their toys, that doesn’t mean the toy industry — especially its marketing departments — has completely abandoned heavily gendered products and advertising strategies.
