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Kids Sue Toys R Us: Are gender-based stereotypes "bad"?

teslashock

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Apparently some Swedish kids are suing Toys R Us for perpetuating gender roles and making kids feel like they are mandated to behave in a manner that parallels these gender roles. A Toys R Us catalog showing pictures of girls in princess costumes and boys in superhero costumes are among their many complaints.

Article Here

Upon initial contemplation, I find this to be pretty silly. Most girls enjoy playing with dolls and dresses, while most boys enjoy playing with GI Joes and legos. That doesn't mean that girls can't or won't play with "boy toys" or that boys can't/won't play with "girl toys." Or does it?

Thoughts?

Are the toys of one gender any better than the toys of another?

Is it "bad" to openly communicate gender stereotypes?

Is there something wrong with marketing tools aimed at stereotypes if the stereotypes are in place for a reason?

Do these kinds of marketing tools perpetuate stereotypes and make certain groups feel oppressed?

What kinds of potential negative consequences can come from stereotyping and marketing based on stereotypes, especially marketing aimed at kids?

Discuss.

EDIT: They filed a complaint, not a lawsuit... mah B, mah B. Most of the stuff I'm interested in discussing has nothing to do with the legality of the issue anyway though.
 

Bamboo

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Putting aside social/societal effects, I don't see how you can win this case. (I also don't have any familiarity with the Swedish legal system.) Can you sue someone or an entity for making you feel a certain way?

Can one MAKE anyone feel anything? Or is the burden on the one who is doing the feeling to feel what they choose? In a legal sense, the first case is acknowledged by the US legal system, in the case of "assault", where someone is made to believe that they could be put in harms way. You can be charged with assault without actually touching anyone else, but by just acting in a manner that is threatening to another person (limitations apply). Actually hitting them would be battery, or the more familiar assault and battery.

So hypothetically, this case would be "an assault" on the children. But instead of being put in harms way, they are being threatened with a certain implicit expectation to buy certain goods, an entirely voluntary action.

The case is junk, just a publicity stunt.
 

Laurie

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Next thing you know someone will be making me feel like I have a vagina!
 

Bamboo

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Also, I just skimmed the article, after writing the above.

They filed a complaint, not a lawsuit.

Last winter, a sixth grade class at Gustavslund school in Växjö in south central Sweden reported Toys"R"Us to the Reklamombudsmannen (Ro), a self-regulatory agency which polices marketing and advertising communications in Sweden to ensure they are in line with guidelines set out by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

This changes the situation.
 

Bamboo

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But putting aside the legal implications now, you have to ask: how else should they advertise?

Should they only make omni-sex toys? Only display ads with both boys and girls? But isn't it just good business to target your market?

Is it offensive if Ferrari doesn't include 70 year old grandmothers in their print ads? Or does it just make sense that they're going to target guys with lots of cash who want something fast and flashy?
 

teslashock

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Putting aside social/societal effects, I don't see how you can win this case. (I also don't have any familiarity with the Swedish legal system.) Can you sue someone or an entity for making you feel a certain way?

Can one MAKE anyone feel anything?

The case is junk, just a publicity stunt.

This was my initial reaction too. It seems kind of tyrannical to punish somebody for feeding into and implicitly believing in stereotypes. I mean we all do this to an extent; that's why stereotypes continue to thrive in the first place.

And it's not like the Toys R Us ads are forcing girls to behave like girls or boys to behave like boys. They are just utilizing basic marketing tools to appeal to the largest possible audience. It would be pretty silly to have a toys advertisement in which boys are playing with baby dolls and dressed like princesses while girls are fighting with play swords and dressed like superman. That just doesn't really seem like effective marketing, imo. Most potential customers would be like "wtf? did corporate snort crack last weekend or what?"
 

Edgar

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The kids didn't file shit. Their stupid attention whore teacher did.
 
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Seems frivolous on the surface, but all the replies thus far reflect society's unspoken double standard...it is fine and even encouraged for girls to cross over and play with GI-Joe toys while wearing their favorite superhero costume, but it is NOT fine for boys to cross over and play with Barbie toys while wearing their favorite Princess costume.

I am not familiar with the specific incident and don't need to be, as it wouldn't have any bearing on my belief that gender stereotypes are one of the many archaic human behaviors preventing the progressive evolution of our species.

Hence, I applaud the Swedish children and their 'attention whore' instructors for their brilliance in confronting the issue from their position of strength as consumers. Toys R Us, a mass-market retailer, will only perpetuate for itself an identity that mirrors the majority views of it's consumer base, and cannot be expected to make it's own determinations on whether those views are sound or questionable. If it wishes to remain in business, it will adapt according to feedback from it's consumers...

Toys R Us has recently proven itself as I've just described. In the US, Toys R Us was recently confronted about another 'gender issue' related to it's advertising. A cultural anomaly that has recently become popular in the US is the idea that it is acceptable to depict amusing portrayals of boys as stupid, socially inept, and generally intellectually inferior to girls. Apparently, Toys R Us advertising began to reflect this trend to a degree that was deemed objectionable by a segment of it's consumer base. Said segment apparently drew up a petition and submitted it to Toys R Us, who promptly apologized and took action to eliminate both the offending portions of it's advertising and the ideological notions of it's marketing department that it was an appropriate way to promote the corporation.

Perhaps this is all meaningless drivel, but then again perhaps gender-based double standards and broad-sweeping speculations on intellectual inferiority have compound effects when focused upon children.

Quick to judge...unable to perceive...such is the way of the masses.
 

Billy

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I am hoping there is some form of tort reform there and when they shoot down this retarded suit whoever filed it is required to pay the Toy stores legal fees.
 

Tamske

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I really don't know.
At the one hand, I'm not going to play with dolls just because I'm a girl. If you make me play with dolls they will become test objects in gravity experiments. (But marbles and balls are much better for that)
At the other hand, I'm not going to hate princess dresses and baking just because I'm not a stereotypical girl.
I've always been relatively free and I've always known the "toys for girls" was a statistical rule meaning "most girls like these toys". To me, no problem with that - the divide made it easier to search. If I wanted the crafts book about astronauts and armies, I took the one aimed for boys and it never mattered to anyone that I'm not a boy.

Then again, someone I know was very upset as a toddler, when at kindergarten she learned about "girl toys" and "boy toys" - she was so afraid Saint Nicholas wouldn't bring the little cars she wanted but stupid dolls instead. Of course, everything was well again when Saint Nicholas didn't care about stereotypes and brought the toy cars :D

I would never sue anybody for making the divide. The stereotypes are right, provided you read them as statistical... "Most girls like dolls, but I don't. Most people are white, but Uncle Ed isn't." These are great lessons to learn for a child.
While I do take a stance on this, I wouldn't sue because that would be more hassle than it would change things. In the end, it's the consumer who decides - he or she has the power. The child has the power to ask for a toy car even if stupid advertisement says otherwise. The parent has the power to buy the toy car.

Why is it always in this direction - girls wanting boy toys and not vice versa? Probably because boy toys ARE more interesting! *ducks*
 

sLiPpY

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I spy the Swedes are still in process of ruining their society by teaching their kids all this touchy feely weak crap.

Sheezus now they want little dudes in Princess costumes, and little girls in Spandex?

If you're an adult in Sweden and don't want to work for a while, but still get paid?

All you have to do is go to your employer and say..."I've hit the wall."

Instant six months off paid!

What a bunch of girlie lamers.
 

Haphazard

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I think it's official: the Swedes have waaaaaay too much free time on their hands.
 

Lark

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I dont think its stereotypes that are underattack any longer for the most part, at least not in a nation like Sweden, its archetypes which are under attack and I dont know what they'll do if they succeed in rooting them out because they're pretty important for anyone forming an identity, maturing to adulthood etc.
 
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