Tuesday 19 November 2013

Feminism? I prefer Realism!

Goldieblox
I watched with interest the new trailer for Goldieblox this evening, the toy taking America by storm. It made me so happy and yet profoundly sad in quick succession and I'll tell you why.

I'm not that old - really I'm not. I might have hit the big 4-0 this year but my childhood (despite assertions to the contrary from my seven year old twins) was not in the "Olden Days". We had TV, most mod cons and even (*gasp*) computers and computer games before I was out of my teens. Yet why does my childhood seem so very, very long ago - especially when I consider my daughter's experiences?


I don't think my childhood was anything unusual and we were not unique. My experiences did not differ greatly from my peers so I believe it's fair to generalise a little. My brother and I spent most of every fine day (and much of the damp and wet ones too) outside - building dens, climbing trees, riding bikes. Playing inside was a last resort and this was true for many children in the 1970s. Boys and girls did not dress particularly differently, certainly younger children wore unisex clothes and parents would pass clothes down to the next child irrespective of gender. So *how* in 30+ years have we reached a point where an engineering toy targeted at girls is seen as unusual and different?

Lego used to be the go-to unisex construction toy but in recent years all sets have been taken over by character branding removing its generic integrity. I'm also curious to know at what point someone decided to rebrand Lego and make it pink, remove most of the fundamental constructive element and dumb it down for girls? In this post modern era how can women find that acceptable - and even desirable? I climbed trees BETTER than my brother, (you know I did bro') owned my own penknife  and rode my bike as far and fast as any boy I knew. I would have been horrified if someone had suggested I should have been playing princesses or stuck inside with pink and fluffy alternatives!!

My favourite memory from my childhood (one of many favourites!) is a response I gave my mum when she was making clothes for me. (Remember Clothkits anyone?! They still exist!) I very firmly informed her that I would not be happy with anything "unless I can climb trees in it". And I meant it. Forget Mini Boden, I mean real tree climbing, den building, outdoor engineering clothes. So she bought me a boiler suit, the same as my brother. Perfect!

I'm happy to say my own daughter shares my love of climbing - although sadly she doesn't have the same opportunities!


So I am delighted that Goldieblox are highlighting the extremely anomalous fact that only ONE in TEN engineers are women. Because we are absolutely not the inferior sex and should never, ever consider ourselves as such.

I've never actually considered myself a feminist - because we are led to believe that feminism has won its cause in the West in so many ways. But when I look at my daughter and the advertising targeted at her peers I think the battle has only just begun. If we want our daughters to have real opportunities,  then they need real expectations. We need to stop assessing girls in a visual way, admiring their looks, their figure, their poise and admire their achievements, raise our expectations and adjust their horizons. Because tomorrow's world can only offer equality of opportunity if we have equality of expectations. And actually, that works both ways.

I'll sign off with this photo of my youngest son at the "Lego Friends" relaunch party (April 2013) at the Legoland Hotel, Windsor, proving that gender branding is inappropriate!




23 comments:

  1. I have three older boys who had accumulated a large amount of generic Lego over the years - mostly grey bits, it seemed. When Lego Friends came along we got some for DD (7) who started enthusiastically with all the pink stuff and then, frustrated that she wanted to build more and bigger things, started using the old grey stuff too. It was a perfect introduction for her and means the old Lego is being used again.

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  2. Fantastic discussion here "Parents who dress their daughters in pink are holding back the economy, says minister http://tgr.ph/N3ApnU "

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  3. This is a really interesting post. I've always encouraged my son and daughter to play with any toys they like and when they were toddlers they did but as they got older they definitely veered towards the toys aimed at their gender. I don't know if that's their preference or because of societal influences.

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  4. Very interesting. My son has lego and my younger girls now have 'pink' lego, but to be honest, they really don't mind which lego they play with.
    Thanks for linking #LetKidsBeKids

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  5. I very strongly identify as a feminist for exactly issues like this. Issues that perhaps aren't obviously deal breakers in the way that a lack of a vote or right to property or other major flagship feminist topics which people consider as dealt with, but issues which very much colour how women see ourselves and how men see us. Like you, I spent my entire childhood either up a tree or on my bike and I feel very uneasy when I see the segregated toy departments (whether they are specifically signposted as boys/girls or not). Your closing point is spot on.

    #pocolo

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  6. I am not proud that where I am from if you play with pink and you are a guy you are going to be teased as a gay. And if you are a girl who loves blue and climbing trees they will call you lesbian or a tomboy which is what I was called a lot. This thinking is just not so progressive. When I enter my university I was told that my course was a guy course (Architecture). But I think now things are better. People are no longer stereotyping so much. I think its a start. Hopefully. #pocolo

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  7. I completely agree with you about everything! I am a child of the 80's but still spent all day everyday outside. My brother and I spent entire summer holidays, from breakfast until teatime wander the mountains and forestry's, building dens and regularly getting chased by the farmer with his shotgun!
    I have always encouraged all of my children to play with/do whatever they wanted no matter the stereotype. Our girls are the oldest and yet they handed down Legos (the original variety) to their younger brother. My youngest, a 1 year old boy, has mostly gender neutral toys. The only, what others would class as, gender specific things he has is a pink teddy and baby doll :) #PoCoLo

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  8. I strongly disagree with this post. LEGO haven't rebranded they have expanded. Just because I liked to climb trees, start fires and climb, am interested in science and maths doesn't mean that I cannot like pink! There's obviously children who do want pink LEGO as otherwise they would be no market for it - and it looks like your son likes it! Just because I like pink doesn't mean I like fluffy. It is about choice.

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    1. Ah but then you are agreeing with me - choice, not pink marketed at girls and city at boys etc. The market for pink has largely been created, promoted and differentiated by manufacturers and retailers, excess money being channelled down the gender divide. And Lego did rebrand, spectacularly. That's what this event was all about.

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  9. This is very interesting. I have a son and a daughter and when they were small I made sure that they had a range of toys to play with including gender-neutral LEGO and building blocks as well as boy and girl baby dolls. They both played with all of these things.

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  10. Not only does Clothkits exist, it's based in my local town! By the way I had a cap gun, hated (and still hate) pink, used to love boys toys BUT engineering has never held any interest for me whatsoever. Is that still ok for girls not to like engineering or are we supposed to force it (and pink Lego) down their throats?

    (PS - Can you please turn on the "name/url" option on your comments as at the moment I am forced to comment using a defunct Blogger account)

    http://www.maybushstudio.com

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    1. I've spent hours trying to turn the name/url option on, it doesn't exist on this version of Blogger - I can only do it by activating anon comments and then I am inundated with spam. Ideas?

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  11. I was born in the mid 80s I grew up in a small close with a park at the end where I spent almost everyday climbing trees - I couldn't imagine being inside a lot.

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  12. My son Liam plays with his sisters dolls and she plays with his cars et. toys are there for fun. :)

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  13. I totally agree, I absolute hate all the gender branding. And I love Goldiebox - I've been following them for a few months and can't wait for them to get to the UK!

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  14. i never encourage my children to play with certain sex toys or dress in a certain way , in fact i let them be themselves to chose

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  15. With 4 boys in the house Eliza loves playing with their toys as much as her own and they occasionally play with hers too :0)

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  16. I think the change will come from us rather than from companies sadly. They will always do what they think the popular market wants, and sadly the pink for girls thing is pretty entrenched. My own daughter, despite my best efforts, went pink loopy at 3 and it was very hard to convince her otherwise - tho at 18 she is a full rounded person and seemingly uneffected by a small spree of pink. My three year old boy doesn't really have any gender specific toys - he has cars and a cooker, but playdoh and Lego are his favs. And he has a pink hello Kitty toothbrush which he chose himself. Sadly I think school and peer pressure will probably make him allergic to pink!

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  17. i dont class myself as feminist either and totally believe in what fits for you as a person :-) ... i love that photo .. your son looks engrossed lol x

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  18. Feminism in moderation isn't all that bad ... actually like most other things in moderation

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  19. We have to gender stereotyping here, Liv is welcome to play with what she wishes. She is a VERY pink and sparkly Girl - unlike me - but plays with her cars as much as her dolls.

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  20. With a big bro and two big sisters there is lots of buys and girls things around - I play with them all! We are all for gender equality here!

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  21. This is really interesting. I'm a strong believer (and enforcer) that toys are toys, and for everyone to play with no matter what they are or what colour. My boy started coming out with things like 'that's for girls' and 'it's pink, I don't like it' which I think he's picked up from grandparents. Now he's a bit older he's very sweet and makes a point of saying things like 'this is a doll, and anyone can play with it, it's for girls and boys' bless him! He's coming up 4 by the way :) xx

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Many thanks for taking the time to comment, I really value your responses.

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