Gender Sterotypes In Children
I read an article today that made my blood boil. The crux of the article is that buying gender specific toys increases domestic violence (oh and pay gap inequality, how that works I don’t know. Barbie must tell her how much she should be paid anther future boss). Now, easy to write, especially when you have no creditable sources or literature to back it up. But really, what a total load of horse shit. You purchase boys boy toys and they are more likely to abuse their spouses and children and vice versa. This “journalist” deserves to be hung and quartered, because not only is it absolute rubbish, it also diminishes the nature of domestic violence and gives the offenders an out. “Oh I beat my wife cause all I could play with as a boy were boys toys and they are rough” Fact BOTH boys and girls can play/fight rough, the number of fights and physical play where I’ve had to step in, I can’t even count…. Ok that’s so fucking off the radar stupid my brain bust into flames and I got an instant nose bleed. Shame on the journalist and bigger shame on the politician who came up with this. I expect it’s all about political exposure and let me tell you Larissa Waters (Green Party) you ether don’t have kids or are a misinformed fame seeking idiot.
As a mother of 4 kids, I’d like to think I now enough about parenting to be able to comment on this without bias. As a professional in this area, I KNOW I cans write about this with authority.
Children will be children. I have 3 boys and 1 girl and you know what I’ve noticed? Boys are naturally DRAWN to boys toys and girls girly toys. Master 6 has ZERO interest in glittery ponies (Id have no issue if he did) and Miss 4 has ZERO interest in most super heroes. Sorry to burst your ignorant bubble. I can say this because they have exposure to both and Iv’e seen what they choose to play with out of a stack of toys out of free will, as mixed gender siblings and I had/have nothing to do with their toy or like preferences. ZERO! You might say “oh it’s conditioning” but honestly, no time for that here. I don’t have hours to show pink, glittery shit at my daughter and make her interested, even if I don’t want to and I sure as shit don’t take the tonic truck off her if she wants to play with it. I wouldn’t have a problem if they did because I’m happy for them to play with whatever toy they are interested in or take interest in whatever takes their fancy. Which they do. They do play with the their genders toys on occasion, but generally stick to what is gender specific. Real life, not postulation.
The Frozen toy set was the most fought over children toy we have EVER had by BOTH genders. Boys and girls, but hey that’s a girls toy, right? Though if I handed Miss 4 a Spiderman toy, it would be bedazzled with glitter and all things pink as fast as I could blink. Just like if I handed Master 3 a Barbie, she would be decapitated within 30 minutes. It’s that simple. They have the choice to play with whatever they wish and naturally they are drawn to gender specific toys. That’s not to say the boys don’t enjoy the pretend kitchen or Miss 4 the workbench, but overall they play with what they prefer, which just happen to be gender specific.
To go out and purposely purchase toys that are for the other gender for them, well that would lead to an epic meltdown, because it’s not what they WANT. I’m all for giving children toys they ask for, gender specific or not. Master 6 had a Dora The Explorer birthday cake when he was three but it was HIS choice and that’s the point. We shouldn’t be forcing our ideals or anti gennder propaganda preferences on our kids. The great thing about child development and developing autonomy is THEM deciding their interests. So master 6 wants to take dance lessons, so I signed him up. Miss 4 wanted to take Aus Kick lessons (non contact football) so I signed her up. Not because I’m going against gender serotypes but because I’m all for letting MY kids develop THEIR interests and discovering new things and who they are and what they do and don’t like. Hell if Mater 6 wants to try on a princess dress who am I to stop him? What long-term damage can it do? It’s not going to change his sexual orientation (thats genetic and who gives a crap what it is as long as he is HAPPY?) Presently Master 3 is collecting sequins, cause they are mini UFO’s. Go for it, just don’t eat them please.
To suggest that just giving gender specific toys leads too increases in domestic violence as they become adults, what the living fuck? Show me the evidence to back that up. I’d think an unhappy child, one who was made to play with toys that they have no interest in would build resentment and lasting issues. Isn’t that in itself a form of abuse? Depriving your child of their interests due to idiotic theories? That causes issues later in life. But she fails to see the polar opposite in what she is saying. Force a child to do/play with anything they don’t like and you are going to have avoidance and aggressive behaviour, because they are frustrated, bored and frankly pissed off at YOU telling them what they should shouldn’t play with. Are we going to go as far as saying boys and girls should form friendships with the other gender, based on gender and not intrestes. That they should have x number of close different gender friends?
The only rule we have here is no guns (except water pistols) of any type. The simple fact is when your kids range from 6.5 to 1.5, there are just too many targets and injuries that can occur and we all know my stance on guns. But that is a personal decision. I recently relented and let MrBmB buy them water balloon guns. They will be closely supervised and really I don’t think shooting them is much worse than throwing them at your sibling. Throwing them never did me any harm. Though the word NERF is banned here since Master 3 at the time shot Miss 18 months in the forehead with one. Not on. I gave it a chance and to didn’t work. Just like violent video games. No grand Theft Auto for my kids here, because I don’t believe in glamorising and normalizing violence. Maybe that’s a better platform for Ms Waters to make a stand on?
My final words on this is kids will play with what they are interested in, let them, gender specific or not. Don’t limit their exposure but encourage them to explore their interests. That’s the best thing we can do for them. This whole “gender revolution” is bullshit. We are all equal in our own ways, both genders. Men are better at some things like physical activities, due to muscle composition and the way they are physically and biology combined. Though you ever seen a man try to survive a simulated labor, now that is hilarious. Men have better spacial awareness on limited planes, whereas women can see inside a whole fridge to find an item, not just one shelve at a time (true fact)….
So this politician gets the title of Epic Class A Cunt for not only being so stupid it defies logic but also laying blame on domestic violence nowhere near where it belongs. If it was up to me, she should be banished from representing the people, cause frankly she’s piss poor at it. Classic case of feminism gone so far that it’s insulting and counter productive. Kids are kids, encourage them in whatever their pursuits and that’s what makes for happy well-balanced individuals. Not forcing non gender related toys on them…..
Though I better not buy Miss 4 a Barbie ever again cause her future employer will base her pay on that rather than her skills and actual talent.
Oh here is her personal page and platform. I encourage you to write to her and tell her she’s an idiot!
