Why dolls for girls and cars for boys
Rito is expecting a baby in a few days. Rito, who lives in the state of Haryana, wants to fulfill every wish of her unborn child and the room has toys and all the necessities for the guest.
If it's a girl, it's a pink jumper suit and a doll, and if it's a boy, it's a blue jumper suit and a teddy bear.
But when asked why the doll for the girl and the blue jumper suit for the boy, he said very innocently, "Because pink looks good on girls, didn't we play with the doll?" Boys don't play with dolls.
Who decides the colors and toys for boys and girls?
If you search for toys for boys and girls on Google, you will clearly see the difference between the toys.
Girls 'toys on Google will find make-up sets, kitchen sets and dolls that are pink, and boys' toys will find a variety of cars, building blocks and robots.
But have you ever wondered who decided which toy the girl would play with and which toy the boy would play with, or why pink for the girl and blue for the boy?
We will talk more about these questions but first find out why we are discussing this topic.
In fact, Danish toy maker Lego has announced that it will eliminate gender inequality or gender stereotypes from its products and marketing.
Lego has made this decision after an investigation
Julia Golden, Lego's Chief Marketing Officer, said in a statement: "Creative games are good for boosting children's self-confidence, creativity and communication skills, but we still feel that the old stereotypes about these games Stamped is a game for a specific genre and our company Lego thinks we should play a role in correcting this notion.
What is the result of the research?
Lego conducted a survey with the Gina Davis Institute, a research organization, in which 7,000 people from seven countries were interviewed.
In which first the parents of the children aged 6 to 14 years and then the children were interviewed.
The survey included parents and children living in the United States, China, Japan, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom.
The study found that girls feel less pressured about gender differences than boys and openly embrace a variety of creative sports, while society or parents do not show this openness as girls play football and Boys learn ballet Girls think it's normal but boys don't think so.
Boys, on the other hand, are ashamed to play with toys that are supposed to be for girls or are afraid that they will be ridiculed if they play with them.
The Lego company has decided to make neutral toys
In addition, parents encourage their daughters five times more to engage in activities such as dancing or dressing than boys, and three times more to engage in activities such as baking or cooking, while boys are encouraged to engage in sports.
Boys and girls toys
Sohasini Paul is a toy designer and has designed more than 300 toys. She called Lego's move a positive and progressive step for society.
Sohasini Paul's clients are not only in India but also in countries like Thailand, Italy, UK, USA, Turkey and France. She has made toys for brands such as Kinder Joy, Disney, Heap and Chhota Bhim.
According to him, as a toy designer, he has used orange and green colors in his toys so that they do not get stuck in a pattern. It attracts both boys and girls and both can play with them.
"There are a lot of toy makers in the world who are making gender toys because people like to buy such toys," she says. Here it is a matter of supply and demand. But if the big trend set companies make gender neutral toys like Lego has done then I am sure that small companies in this industry will also be affected and they will follow in their footsteps and hence the demand for such toys. I will also increase.
They go to make separate toys for boys and girls
But what does the market say?
Art School is a toy company. Jaswant, the company's CEO, says India's toy market is new. In the old markets, ie in countries where there has been a toy market for many years, there is a tendency for boys and girls to play with each other's toys.
But he thinks that recently it can be seen that boys and girls are playing with each other's toys and this trend is also visible.
"I would not say that it applies to all kinds of toys," he says from Chennai. We cannot draw any conclusions based on this trend. Definitely some toys are made for boys and some for girls. Like girls like to play more than dolls. And the art school has not yet taken steps to create gender-neutral toys.
He further said that the toy market in India is still developing and this trend will continue to grow. But it can be said with certainty that the trend of gender neutral toys has increased.
According to him, India is a country with the largest number of children in the world, but India's share in the toy market is less than one percent. He expects the share to grow in the future.
Dr. Amir Sultana associated with the Department of Women in Punjab University
But why the difference in toys?
Dr. Amir Sultana, who is associated with the women's department at Punjab University, says that when you look at girls 'and boys' toys, you will see that most of the girls 'toys are pink or soft, then the boys' blue.
They offer theories about colors
"It's like pink is a symbol of beauty and you associate blue with the sky, which is infinite," she says. The blue color indicates strength.
She goes on to say, "If you look at girls' toys, you see a patriarchal mentality in them, because you will also see her toys in the role of nurturer or nurturer." Similar toys such as dolls, kitchen sets or make-up sets will be seen, while boys will have adventure-related toys such as robots, cars or guns that represent male aggression.
Boys are only taught to be strong
At the same time, she says, girls are taught multitasking, such as taking care of the house, taking care of the children. New dimensions are being touted as an option for them, but boys are not yet being taught it.
Sakshi Singhal, a research scholar, says that the purpose of toy companies making toys for boys and girls must be to make a profit.
But if you look at the many shops that have different parts for toys for girls and boys, the kids go there and think that these toys are for me. Similarly, social and gender roles are also divided and children see where the mother is working and the father goes out to work.
"Parents are pushing their daughters forward," she said. "Efforts are being made to bring equality, alternatives are being offered but boys are not being taught that way." They are not taught to express emotions, they are only expected to be strong.
Similarly, if boys are playing with dolls, they will be ridiculed and considered weak because the concept is related to girls.
Researchers in Lego's research also say that this gender stereotype affects children's creative development and the career they choose to pursue.
Sakshi Singhal believes that toys are also important in a child's development. In addition to gender neutrality, make toys that support children's emotional, social, moral, and cognitive development.
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