Thursday, December 16, 2010
This Will Get Your Feminist Back Up
Several of the blogs that speak of feminist motherhood that I sometimes read have already posted this and it's been fully discussed. But since I think it's so important, and since my readers don't always read those other blogs, I thought it would be worth it to repost here. If you've already seen it, then just go re-watch the video of my kid dancing to the Backyardigans. If you haven't, go here to view. Then come back and tell me what you think.
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3 comments:
Thanks for sharing that! It makes me wonder which would be harder to raise, boy or girl?
We are not yet watching a lot of kid TV, so I hadn't noticed this in commercials, but I did write a complaint to Pottery Barn Kids last year. I went in to get a birthday gift for my 5 year old cousin, and noticed that all the learning toys - maps, puzzles, books about stars and dinosaurs, buildable models of ships and planes, etc. were on the boy side. The girl side (why is the stuff divided into sides at all?) was a solid wall of pink. EVERY SINGLE TOY was domestic - shopping carts, kitchens, dolls and doll houses, vacuum cleaners - and every single book was about being fancy and fabulous. I was so mad. If my cousin had been with me, she would have been given the harmful message that, if she wanted an interesting and interactive toy that challenged her motor skills and brain, she risked being unfeminine. Gah. I suggest a new tab for your blog. Ungendered toy suggestions! We can all send you the stuff we discover. :-)
In other news, I am guilty of this myself. My son's clothes and room are highly gendered, in part because I buy things that represent his dad's interests. Not sure why...maybe to strengthen their bond? Not really necessary, but I must have some motivation.
I dressed him in his purple diapers the day of this post, though. Represent.
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