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to be so angry at Kinder Eggs!

(37 Posts)
Penstemmon Wed 30-Oct-13 09:29:22

They have now packaged their chocolate containing plastic tat in pink /blue!

Do we really have to reinforce gender stereotypes in everything?? part of the fun was the surprise! it is less of a surprise if pink eggs contain little pink ponies and blue ones cars!! How do children really express themselves when we (society) force kids to think girls and boys have pre-determined play preferences. If we dressed all babies in green and gave them an equal amount of 'boy' 'girl' toys they can at least choose for themselves how they want to be!

JessM Fri 01-Nov-13 11:35:55

Clutching at straws gracesmum - there are phrases one can choose like:

Oh gorgeous baby! Can you see any family resemblances? and What name did you choose? that can get round that particular hurdle.
Where did the "pink for a little girl blue for a boy" thing come from originally? Anyone know?
The other thing is the embellishments on the bloody clothes - quite hard to buy a plain green t shirt for instance, that is gender neutral an dcan be passed around the family. It is a plot to get people to buy more.

rosesarered Fri 01-Nov-13 11:36:38

We seem to have gone quite a way past the Kinder egg debate grin.
But I have noticed on tv that women are all now dressing [and hairstyles] like American actresses from the 1980's. I sometimes wonder why the early feminists bothered at all.Every woman on tv has the same Farrah Fawcett type long wavy hair [regardless almost of age]The panel on Loose women used to look different to each other.Even the weather girls
seem to look the same.

Tegan Fri 01-Nov-13 12:23:47

Has any research been done to see if babies/toddlers prefer certain colours depending on their sex? I seem to recall an experiment where girl and boy babies were looked afterfor a by people who didn't know their sex to see how differently the adults treated them ie how they spoke to them/handled them etc.

gracesmum Fri 01-Nov-13 12:55:10

I believe that in Victorian times it was pink for boys and blue for girls. PS know I am clutching at straws JessM - but some babies are so plug ugly it is hard to say anything. If in blue I have been known to try "I bet he looks like his Daddy"!!! grin
Embellishments like logos (logoes?) are the spawn of the devil IMHO.

JessM Fri 01-Nov-13 13:39:23

Oh they are all "sweet" in their parents eyes aren't they?
Not only logos but bulldozers, slogans that imply girls are princesses and boys are naughty, frilly hearts and fairies etc etc

Elegran Fri 01-Nov-13 15:32:56

The original colours were red/pink for virile hotblooded male and cool delicate blue for refained female.

There is a legend that a royal scandalised the traditionalists by putting her baby into the wrong colour and it became fashionable that way round.

ljny Fri 01-Nov-13 18:07:18

I don't think they should be allowed to sell any toy in only pink or blue.

Wish there were some way to force manufacturers to always offer a gender-neutral choice.

I guess people have the right to choose pink, or blue, if they want.

Wish we had an equal right to buy our grandkids a present without being forced into stereotypical girl-pink or boy-blue-graphic.

Not just toys. Ever tried to find non-pink, non-frilly knickers for a girl toddler? And it's just not right to get her tiny y-fronts!

Hannoona Sat 02-Nov-13 05:20:35

Re the knickers - yes and I have no trouble getting them in Markies, Asda, and Tesco when Im in the UK at various times of the year.

I was reading in the paper today about Debenhams decision to stop marketing toys as being for a girl or boy. Seemingly they had specific shelves or something for them but as the nearest Debenhams to us is about 350 kms away its not something Ive experienced. The mother who spearheaded the campaign spoke sense but how she could describe herself as being heartbroken when taking her little one to the shops and seeing the shelves marked for girls/boys was an overkill. A child with cancer is heartbreaking, being a young widow with children is heartbreaking, a child with special needs can be heartbreaking - but a shelve full of toys?????

I didn't read anymore of the article and whilst she had made many good points that anyone with any common sense would just think and not really need to make much of, the bit about the hearbreak was when I stopped reading and she lost all credibility with me. I switched off from the article and what ran through my head was 'oh shut up you silly ........ '.

JessM Sat 02-Nov-13 08:43:09

Well done her for taking it up with Debenhams and making a difference. When peoples words are reported in the press they are often distorted and heartbroken is one of the UK press's favourites.

Eloethan Sat 02-Nov-13 09:35:50

In a way it is hearbreaking that, just for the sake of profit, little boys and girls are so quickly pushed into their little boxes. I don't think the woman was being silly at all.

MamaCaz Sat 02-Nov-13 12:05:32

I admit that I raised an eybrow when I saw the Kinder advert. However, much as I detest this modern everything-must-be pink girlie thing, I don't blame a business for trying to cash in on it.

What's annoying, as already mentioned, is the fact that so many toys are only available in pink.
DIL wants a little shopping bag for my 2 year old DGS but couldn't find anything that wasn't girlie. Hence I have stepped in to make one. I have ordered some dinosaur fabric for it - not sure if that means I am now guilty of gender stereotyping or not, but at least I know he will love it!! grin