Last Updated on May 10, 2021 by Danielle
Does gender matter or should kids be able to play with any toy?
Nowadays toy manufacturers are thinking beyond traditional gender stereotypes. Gender neutral toys will be the new norm in the toy industry thanks to Millennial parents.
Take, for instance, dolls – they are being reworked as “Action figures” in the form of DC Super Hero Girls, which are one of the top Christmas toys in 2021. Hasbro is creating version of its Easy Bake Oven that are not simply pink.
You may wonder what is propagating such change from established norms. Well, one reason is that Millennials stray away from gender stereotypes more than previous generations. Now they are becoming parents and are making the toy buying decisions.
Now more than ever before there is a push to make traditional gender toys appeal to both genders. For example, arts and crafts toys are being marketed to boys while science kits are targeted to girls. Of course, there will still be some tougher sells, such as dolls for boys. An independent toy company is considering its boy superhero doll a “crewmate” rather than a doll. In a survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal, interestingly, less than 10% of parents stated they would be comfortable if their son, grandson, or nephew played with girls’ toys.
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