Sixth Graders Take Toys 'R' Us to Task for Gender Stereotyping

categories: International Gay Rights, LGBT and the Media

Published October 09, 2009 @ 05:57PM PT

Toys R Us

A group of sixth graders in Sweden have managed to whip up an official complaint against mega toy retailer Toys 'R' Us for falling prey to gender stereotyping in its annual toy catalog. Huh...guess if a boy wants to play house or a girl wants to be a superhero, they ought to buy their toys from somewhere else.

These are some pretty politically and socially aware sixth graders. The story has it that they were studying the issue of gender roles, and came across a Toys 'R' Us catalog that featured boys playing with active toys, and girls doing more passive activities. Noting that these depictions reinforce certain gender stereotypes, the sixth graders filed a complaint with the Reklamombudsmannen, a self-regulatory agency (and a ridiculously difficult word to type!) that monitors advertising in Sweden.

One teen noted that small girls were dressed as princesses, while boys were dressed as superheroes. Girls were also given dolls, while boys were given action toys.

In finding with the students, the Reklamombudsmannen said that the Toys 'R' Us catalog, whether they intended to do so or not, fostered outdated thinking about gender roles.

"Taken together, the catalogue portrays children’s games and choice of toys in a narrow-minded way, and this exclusion of boys and girls from different types of toys is, in itself, degrading to both genders," their statement said.

So what is this...a valid point about gender roles, and a victory for some very inclusive sixth graders? Or is this over-reaction of the sort that riles people up and gets them damning liberals for being too over-sensitive? Should toy marketing include boys that play with dolls, or girls who want to be Superman?

Either way, score a victory for political engagement in the sixth grade.

(Photo courtesy of MNgilen's photostream on Flickr.)

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Comments (6)

Not just any sixth grade. A Swedish one. The Scandanavians, being so very homogeneous are renowned for self-enhancement and precocious education for their few very loved children.

Still its a good story. Hope some American teachers take up the challenge.

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 10/09/2009 @ 06:34PM PT
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Awesome!! Those sixth graders sound pretty on top of it. It would also take people that young to be crazy enough to try.

I hope it works :D

Posted by Paul Hockhousen on 10/09/2009 @ 08:27PM PT
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And this is another great reason why I love my Finnish Fiance. They have logic, which seems to be as much as a foreign concept to America as fuel efficient cars are to Chrysler.

Posted by Chris Marshall on 10/09/2009 @ 08:54PM PT
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Kids are a blessing indeed.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 10/10/2009 @ 03:54AM PT
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Toys 'R' Us must be more aware of gender differences in their products since girls and boys must know that gender is not a barrier for playing with action figures. The sixth grade students weren't the first to expose gender differences in toy store products, but have given new and strong awareness about outdated gender expections in toys. Children toy makers must not advertise outdated gender differences when it comes to toys because of equality.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 10/10/2009 @ 04:44PM PT
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Wow! I am super impressed!!! My Partner was just doing the exact same research on genderization for a social inequality class in college....thses are 6th graders....we should not only be impressed but hope to change all these steriotypes soon.....

Posted by Rain Zickert on 10/11/2009 @ 08:13AM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.