Gendering Childhood Essay

represent stash aways argon places where the gender of different boorren is being shaped be it femininity, masculinity or gender- sluggishity according to the sure caprices of society and culture active gender. It is in that locationfore evident that toy stores argon actually catalysts to the ongoing ideas about a certain kind of gender. In terms of gender-neutral toys, toy stores can be seen as a channel for interaction or equality between the sexes, although this is plainly seen whatsoever of the toys intended for toddlers and teens, and the toys that are digital/computer-based such as educational toys and consoles.In about toy stores, there are clear divisions and whitethorn even be separated and placed on opposite ends of the store. There are also sections where it is non clear whether or not the intention is for each gender. The toy stores are also divided depending on the age of those who are going to buy them. Usually, the age is progressive as one goes deeper i nto the store from the most simple of dolls and balls for one-year olds to the complex digital, computerized toys that can span from the age of seven and up.Looking at the store itself, the general theme of a certain section can actually point to whether or not the section is intended for boys, girls or neither gender. It is seen in many ways including the color scheme of the section, the feature toys and, sometimes, even the salespersons manning the section. However, the toy stores arent explicit in their customers in terms of labeling a section either for boys or for girls. Most of the signs in the sections are only implicit in the themes that they take. sex neutral sections are often filled with toys that are educational and electronic gadgets.Also, gender neutral sections often have neutral colors such as white and silver as opposed to the gendered colors of pink and blue. They are also often seen in the middle of the gendered section. In terms of packaging, some of the toys a re explicit in their intended customers by showing either boys or girls playing with the toys they are selling printed on the boxes. Gender neutral toys are often printed with both a girl and a boy on the cover, cooperating or looking very intrigued as they play or tinker with the toys.Other gender-neutral toys have neither child involved but only a feature of the product without any action that denotes the cultures (in this case, Americas) notion of femininity or masculinity. The colors are neutral often just a white background and does not feature any actions that could be seen as either soft (feminine) or hard (masculine). A gendered toys packaging, on the other hand, has an implicit message conveyed on the box. Action, competition, adrenaline, and the butch effect are often portrayed in the boxes of boys toys in the boys section.On the girls section, flowers, happy homes, cute and exciting themes seem to dominate the shelves often, older themes of make-up and fashion are be ing made as toys, as if pushing for girls to be women at a younger age. Going further into the connection of age and gendered toys, there seems to be a pattern concerning gendering them with respect to age. This is not to say, however, that other toys that dont fall into these ii categories are not gender neutral. There are also toys, most belonging to sports, which are gender-neutral.Toddlers unremarkably have gender neutral toys intended for two things. The first involves amusement in the form of dolls and other soft items that they can chew on, throw, fall on and hit without causing them any harm or danger. Some of these toys may be gendered but many of them are not. The second is to educate them. These educational toys are completely gender-neutral as toy-makers consider the minds of either sex of the children as capable of processing basic breeding that they should learn, such as knowing what a cow is and what sounds they make.And since toys are not exactly limited to childr en, some toys that can have adults as audiences as well, such as game consoles and sports-oriented toys, are gender-neutral and are only gendered when it comes to the accessories and other things that they append to these toys. Some examples include the game cartridges. Because of gendering of the majority of toys in the formative years of the child, the idea of femininity and masculinity are instilled in society in an ongoing cycle.The current societys ideal of masculinity are seen instilled in children in the early stages, dictating and instilling ideas on how girls and boys should be and how they should mount up to be. This forces them to conform to societys current ideas of them aside from possible biological and other away influences that dictate children from their earliest years. Although gender preference may change in the later years, the influence of toys inclined to children even if it is feminine toys given to boys is a factor in how these children grow up to be.