Pink Stinks?

[Fryk]

If the store in question offers nothing gender neutral, I could see parents wanting to avoid that store.

That's the thing, though. To me, everything in a toy is store gender neutral. Just because they have girls on a barbie doll doesn't mean that you HAVE to ONLY buy that toy for a girl.
When you buy spaghetti sauce at a store, do you HAVE to buy it ONLY to make spaghetti? Do you have to make it exactly the way it looks on the jar? Do you HAVE to put strawberries in your cheerios because that's what the bowl looks like on the box? And are you limitted in how much you put in your bowl because dammit, that's what the serving size says on the side of the box?
Hell, do you HAVE to pretend your He-Man and transformers figures are always fighting in an army of some kind? I hope not, or I'd be in trouble for all the times my He-Man and friends would go out on dates with my sister's barbies. And she would also be in trouble for all the times Barbie kicked decepticon ass.
Your kids toys are gender specific because you and others say so, and for no other reason.

Also, I wanted to ask everyone what their idea of a gender-neutral toy would be.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Also, I wanted to ask everyone what their idea of a gender-neutral toy would be.

A gun.

I had toy guns as a kid; and water pistols, too. Guns are for everyone. XD

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I don't think you meant that statement to be the sort that would make me snoogie my coffee. However, it did.

[DesignFox]

<snip>
Your kids toys are gender specific because you and others say so, and for no other reason.

Also, I wanted to ask everyone what their idea of a gender-neutral toy would be.

*shrug*
Maybe-
Instead of making clear distinctions by making a kitchen set all pink and lavender, use a gender neutral color set. "Boys" toys tend to be very neutral in their coloring- bold reds, yellows, blues...blacks and grays. Why not make more toys in the neutral color theme, instead of reserving those colors for tool sets, sports equipment and toy cars?

My kitchen set as a kid was all neutral. It wasn't a crazy pink nightmare. I had a toy dustbuster that looked like a dustbuster...it wasn't PINK.

I think these parents problem is not with toys in general. Just that all the pink things are probably kitchen sets, cleaning supplies and dishes. There's probably no pink tool set. or pink cars. Just as there are probably no blue cleaning supplies or kitchen sets. A line is clearly being drawn.

I agree with your sentiment Fryk. But I also agree with the parents not spending their money in a store they don't feel caters to their child's needs, or what *they* want for their children.

No one will ever be made 100% happy. That's just the reality. But rather than passing legislation, by choosing where to spend, or not spend, your money is the best way to get what you want.

If you don't like it. Don't buy it. If it's not available, keep looking until you find it. If you ask for it and can't get it- you've got to prove that enough other people want what you want. A boycott may be a way to get the company to listen.

Of course, if they make the option available, and you don't take them up on it, then shame on you.

[blas87]

Am I weird because I want very gender specific stuff with my pets?

Call me crazy, but I got so sick and tired of everyone thinking Bear the dog was a boy that I got her a hot pink collar (although it's so old now it's more like peach) and hid all of her blue and green bandanas.

[Boozy]

I'm the same way with my dogs. I always get my male dogs blue or black collars and "masculine" chew toys.

But unlike with children, I don't have to worry about society pidgeon-holing them into preordained gender roles. I don't need to prepare them to live life as strong, independent adults who don't need a man to change a tire or a woman to cook them dinner. They are dogs. That's the great thing about dogs.

[jackfaire]

or a woman to cook them dinner.

I don't need anyone to cook me dinner. People just prefer it if I don't it spares the batteries in the smoke detector.

[Slytovhand]

Related, but sort of heading OT...

Tonight, I have some students coming over to cook dinner for me (woot!). Same happened last weekend as well (woot!).

Me, as male, and other boy student were told to just sit back and enjoy while the girls did everything - from cook to clean.

Now, I haven't seen much in the way of toys, but there's certainly some serious expectations as far as gender roles are concerned (of course, in this example, I'm not complaining ). The interesting thing is, when it comes to restaurants and the like, it's all males in the kitchens - I've heard that women 'aren't allowed to'...

[McDreidel09]

.She also has seen me swordfight, and one of my friends who is a woman who fights schlager, rapier, and is an archer, is one of her favorites. We loved the new Barbie Three Musketeer movie. That movie is great...the girls save the day. I got her some foam swords from my fencing supplier after that.

One: Your daughter is so lucky!

Two: I didn't mean to imply that you were against it. I'm sorry if what I said came off to you that way. It was just some insight as to how your daughter came to be a girly girl when you showed some neutrality on gender roles and expectations.

[Fryk]

I got her some foam swords from my fencing supplier after that.

They sell Nerf swords like that now. I am totally buying my wife and me some.

[Lace Neil Singer]

uster...it wasn't PINK.

I think these parents problem is not with toys in general. Just that all the pink things are probably kitchen sets, cleaning supplies and dishes. There's probably no pink tool set. or pink cars. Just as there are probably no blue cleaning supplies or kitchen sets. A line is clearly being drawn.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg
Not a toy, but still. XD

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.54334856.jpg
Is a toy. XD

Also:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...ZZZ_SS384_.jpg

http://www.hotfrog.com.au/Uploads/Pr...0277_image.jpg

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_2...3443ZQ6ag3.jpg

http://static-p4.fotolia.com/jpg/00/...gz5dRPVxmx.jpg

I think the point I'm making, is that there are those kinds of toys out there, but it's up to the parents to shop around a bit if they want them.

[Bloodsoul]

If I were to have children, I'm buying large-sized LEGO/Duplo bricks.

On that note, I regret never obtaining one of the seaweed pieces; due to having the same mold as the fire pieces and being tranlucent green, I wanted to use it as a torch for the wizard's lab in the big castle I built (which has since fallen back into pieces). Ah, well...

[DesignFox]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg
Not a toy, but still. XD

http://ny-image0.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.54334856.jpg
Is a toy. XD

Also:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...ZZZ_SS384_.jpg

http://www.hotfrog.com.au/Uploads/Pr...0277_image.jpg

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_2...3443ZQ6ag3.jpg

http://static-p4.fotolia.com/jpg/00/...gz5dRPVxmx.jpg

I think the point I'm making, is that there are those kinds of toys out there, but it's up to the parents to shop around a bit if they want them.

Well, that was also sort of my point. If the reason for the boycott against that particular store is because they aren't offering those things...they should vote with their wallet and buy them from the vendors that sell them.

Those are great examples.

[Mytical]

Well as somebody who has once been asked by their own parents if he was gay..I must say that the color pink on a guy is seen as 'girly'. My sister would trade me her dolls for my trucks (etc) at christmas time. For 3 or 4 years my favorite shirt was a bright pink one. I collect unicorns (posters, figurines, etc). I am not, however, even a tiny bit homosexual.

It is fine that they want to boycott, it's their money..they can spend it however and wherever they want. They believe that they are going against society in doing this, but they are wrong. They are letting society dictate what a color or such means. Instead of sitting their kids down, and explaining that what they play with, what color they like, etc does not define them, they want the 'easy' way.

Gender should not be defined by color, or job, or even hobbies. Neither should sexuality. I absolutely love to decorate, well at least the concept part, know nothing about vehicles (at all..except how to change tires, put oil in, things like that). I am secure in my sexuality, however. My parents made sure us kids knew we would be accepted regardless. Regardless if my sister was a tom boy, or that my room has over 200 unicorns in it, they treated us as they always did. If I had been gay, they would have accepted me just as easy. Which is how most parents should raise their children.

To know that whoever they are, that family will accept them. That society might not, but that it is more important that they are happy with themselves then what society thinks of them.

[DesignFox]

Mytical, wouldn't it be nice if everyone was like that?