Thursday, May 28, 2009

Gender, Culture, & Children's Toys.

When toy shopping for a child, considering the roles the toys play in gendered and cultural socialization of the child is important. The child I am toy shopping for is an eight-year-old boy named Isaiah. He lives in the United States, so it was easy to find toys that would suit his interest; I chose to look on Toysrus.com. At the top of his wish list is Mr. Potato Head, and he enjoys playing in the park. I had $168 to spend, and each of these toys were accessible and within budget. Through marketing ideas of masculinity or femininity, along with different cultural influences, toys play an important role in developing ideas of gender roles and race for children.

Since at the top of Isaiah’s wish list was a Mr. Potato Head, this was the first item on my shopping list. I decided on the Playskool Mr. Potato Head Silly Suitcase because it was more up-to-date than the classic Mr. Potato Head, and kids like to keep up with the times with the newest toys and technologies. It cost $17.99 and the age range for this toy was 3-5 years old, a bit below his age level, however it was what he wanted. What I think is interesting about Mr. Potato Head is that there is also his female counterpart, Mrs. Potato Head, which may appeal to girls however seems to be less popular. A video by Mike Mozart on Youtube pokes fun on Mr. Potato head by showing that there are accessories to dress him up, one including “Glamour Spud” filled with female accessories however is still marketed as “Mr. Potato Head” accessories. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK2hbBL9Ubs) This product could cause confusion in gender roles for young children who want to dress up their Mr. Potato Head with these female accessories.

Since I am Isaiah’s dad -_- I wanted to buy him toys that will influence his masculine qualities of aggression, through playing sports. David Newman states that, “Toys and games that parents provide for their children are another influential source of gender information. A quick glance at Saturday morning television commercials or a toy manufacturer's catalog or web site reveals that toys and games remain solidly segregated along gender lines.” (Newman 112). Girls’ toys typically revolve around the theme of domesticity or fashion, such as dolls and kitchen sets, while boys’ toys focus on action and adventure such as sports equipment or action figures. Sports equipment is an appropriate gift from a father to a son to teach him to be strong, masculine, competitive, and aggressive. This also will contribute to Isaiah’s enjoyment of playing in the park.

On my shopping list I have put the Deluxe Folding Goal Set, which includes a goal along with hockey sticks and a puck. This item cost $39.99 and is appropriate for children aged 5-11 years old. This hockey set will allow for socialization because he will be able to play competitively with his friends or his father and practice an aggressive and masculine game. In addition to the hockey set, I have also added to my list a Virtual Speed Baseball, which has a digital speed indicator that will display the speed the baseball traveled at after it is thrown. This toy cost $9.99 and is for children aged 6-11 years old, though this baseball along with most sports equipment can be used at any age. Since he is living in the United States and baseball is an “American pastime,” I figured a baseball would be a good toy for his culture that he could play with outdoors and also practice socialization through playing catch. Additionally, the speed indicator will promote male competitiveness by seeing who can throw the ball faster.

Because of the fact that he wanted a Mr. Potato Head, I thought Isaiah would like other kinesthetic activities, more suited for his age level, such as K’Nex. Both boys and girls could use K’Nex, however, finding a “gender neutral” K’Nex was difficult. There is a Ferris wheel, which could typically be considered gender neutral but probably appeals more to girls, while the other K’Nex sets are Dueling Dragons or Air Rescue Vehicles, which are more interesting to boys. For Isaiah I decided to stick to a boyish theme and go with the K'Nex Heavy Haulers - Pick Up Truck. This toy was $19.99 and it is for an age range of 5-8 years old. Cars and trucks typically interest boys and this he can build himself or with help and can feel proud of what he created.

Lastly, it is important for my child to be intellectually challenged with a game or toy, because in this society most parents want their child to be successful in school and the smartest kid in their class. This will be accomplished, of course, through Disney Scene It. I added to the shopping list, Scene It? The DVD Game: Disney - 2nd Edition, which cost $29.99 and is appropriate for children aged 6-12. This is a popular gender-neutral game that is fun to play with family or friends. It promotes thinking through activities like “find the difference” and trivia from favorite Disney movies. However, this toy contributes to the consumer’s cultural and ethnic ideas through the portrayal of many Disney characters.

In Celeste Lacroix’s article she describes, “The orientation of women of color in these Disney animated films and how the representations of gender and cultural difference operate within Disney's consumerist framework which provides ‘dreams and products through forms of popular culture in which kids are willing to materially and emotionally invest.’ (Lacroix 213). She based her analysis of Disney movies by focusing on the construction of the respective female in these movies (such as Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Esmeralda). She explains, “The white characters contain traits of the idealized woman. Features of earlier Disney heroines like Snow White and Princess Aurora of Sleeping Beauty are drawn with tiny waists, small breasts, slender wrists, legs, and arms” (220). The characters of other races however may not be represented as accurately still containing many white features. Lacroix continues, “By contrast, Jasmine of Aladdin posed problems for the Disney animators. Her skin tone is appropriately darker for the Middle Eastern setting of the story. Yet, she retains many White features, such as a delicate nose and small mouth. Jasmine differs from Ariel and Belle in the size and shape of her eyes.” (220). Not only does Disney give a representation of the idealized woman, but it also gives an idea of culture by having female heroines of different races, which represent the stereotypes of their ethnic background. These characters, many of which are portrayed in Disney Scene It, give ideas of gender and culture that may be misconstrued because of the similarities and differences between the white and dark-skinned characters, as shown by Lacroix’s example with Jasmine.

Each of the toys on this shopping list, Mr. Potato Head, K’Nex, hockey and baseball gear, and Disney Scene It, add to a child’s construction of their idea of gender and ethnicity. There are specific toys marketed towards boys and towards girls, and they give these children ideas of what they are expected to be interested in as that specific gender. Additionally, toys give ideas of different cultures and races through either the skin color of a specific toy, or, as stated before, the depiction of the Disney characters in the Scene It game.


Works Cited

Lacroix, Celeste. “Images of Animated Others: The Orientalization of Disney's Cartoon Heroines From The Little Mermaid to The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Popular Communication: 213-229.

Newman, David M. “Learning Difference: Families, Schools, and Socialization.” Identities and Inequalities: 106-145.

3 comments:

  1. Jess-
    Nice job analyzing the gendered messages sent by the toys you found for your fictitious child Isaiah. Although you made it clear that your fictitious role was that of the child's father, keeping that info as part of the intro, and then analyzing the messages sent by the toys you found may have helped you analyze the examples you found in a clearer format. The issues of gender were articulated clearly and directly. I'm not entirely sure how the race issues (demonstrated by Lacroix's piece on Disney) factor into your other examples in the analysis of the toys. It seems like a little bit of a stretch to include other identity categories than the ones previously covered.
    I really enjoyed your section and it was great having you in class for Maymester 09! I hope you enjoyed it too!
    Have a fabulous summer!
    :o)
    Jessie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Call to Oder 1-315-512-2220, Buy MTP Kit,Tramadol ,Viagra Online uk No prescription required. Best price & Fast shipping.Friendly 24/7 Support. www.worldpharmacyrx.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Call 1-315-512-2220,Buy MTP Kit,Buy Tramadol Online,Buy Viagra Online at discounted prices and get best deal. Order Now and save more money.
    https://www.theworldpharmacyrx.us

    ReplyDelete