We are all born as either male or female, but in this chapter it starts as a guide. It states how kids have to become a certain way. How colors and accessories make up a male or female as a child. How toys have to be different, a girl is pink and male is blue. A female grows up learning how to do more proper work in the house, clean, do dishes, cook and wash every quality a female should. While a male works outside, gets dirty as such. This reading makes me think about our norms. To human society this is the correct way male is a male and a female is a female. Since babies are taught this girls can’t play with boy toys, and girls shouldn’t play with boy toys.
Toy color, the type of the toy, communicates to society powerful messages as the gender. Sociologists Elizabeth Sweet implies that “toy preferences are not biologically inevitable, but rather deeply social”. She describes how “toy advertisements became increasingly gender, in the 20th century, to prepare girls for domesticity, and prepare boys for work in the industrial economy”. She later explains how toys teach children implicit lessons about future gender roles, they are encouraged to adapt, and also gave examples of some of these toys, them being toy kitchens, baby dolls, cars and construction sets.
As growing up I was alway playing with boys. I played with cars, played ball, wrestling, and action figures. I did have dolls and girl toys but I never really caught my eye. So after reading this I understand why. If toys are a way to “prepare kids”, as I see it in myself I rather be outside getting my hands dirty then inside cleaning and cooking. Our ideas about what is suitable for boys or girls is socially constructed.
Socially Loco 