parenting

385 readers

3 users here now

✏ Rules

DO NOT DOXX YOUR KIDS - Seriously, use an alt for this comm or keep it vague; otherwise we’re centralizing info about everyone’s kids into a single place that can be easily focused on.
No antinatalism struggle sessions

Join us on Matrix! #parenting:genzedong.xyz (read more here)

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

It's shocking how masc-coded toys for boys are (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

With my kids, we tend to stick to more gender-neutral toys, wood blocks, that sort of thing. Get a lot of toys from Hapé, that sort of thing.

Went to a kid's birthday party today. Family has 2 boys. Played with the toys in the basement. And jfc, damn near every toys was heavily masc-coded. i swear to god, there was a toy fire engine that had literal muscles on it. Every vehicle had big chunky wheels and seemed to be designed with a certain masculine aesthetic. There was this cop car designed like a tank that shot out discs. Every toy just seemed overly aggressive and bought specifically to signal MY SON IS NOT GAAAAYYY!

Like, I was raised with "boy toys" like Tonka trucks. But those just seemed more like realistic representations of real thing. Even something silly like Transformers, their vehicle forms were like boring-ass sedans and shit. So many toys today seem like they have to crank up the gender coding to 11 (boys and girls); while at the same time there are a ton of toys that aren't problematic at all.

I feel like this says a lot about the social reproduction of gender and capitalism.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

I'd pick up one of the cars and say "These toys are fascistic. Sorry to spoil your 'fun'." But I don't have kids so can't do that joke yet without getting ostracized.