Boys and Girls

Gender pressured early on during playtime

I can remember being a child and playing with all kinds of toys. It never mattered what toys I played with: boy or girl. But it seems that in today’s society that has changed. Girls are to play with girls toys and boys are to play with boy toys.

What about the children who are transgendered? What about the children who struggle with gender identity? What about the children who are gay or lesbian? What about the children who are simply more interested in a toy because it is fun to play with?

A toy is defined as an object, a small representation of something familiar, such as an animal or person, for children or others to play with: a plaything. That’s it. So if a little boy plays with doll perhaps he is representing his mother, sister, aunt, cousin, or even a friend. A little girl plays with a racecars because she watches Nascar with her dad on the television. These toys are for the children to pretend, imagine and have fun.

Just a couple days ago, my son was playing with his friends who happen to be girls and he went outside with his baby doll. He wanted to be like the other kids. Another older kid who happened to be a girl was curious why our son had a baby doll. She said, “why does he have a baby doll, dolls are for girls?” The older girl said, “he can’t have a baby doll.” Our sons friend said, “yes he can.”

I was so proud of our sons friend for standing up for him. It made me happy to know that not all hope is lost. However, it made me think that there are still children being raised with this mentality that girls play with girl toys and boys play with boy toys. This can’t continue on.

Circulating on Facebook is the video of a father a his son who just went and brought a toy. His son just brought an Ariel doll The Little Mermaid. His son was super excited to have this doll and the father couldn’t be any prouder, happier or more supportive. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.

We have allowed our son to play with all kinds of toys, whether they were boy or girl toys. If he liked it, he played with it. Its not about the gender for us, its about the educational lesson and life lesson that the toy can bring to the child.

Parents let’s make this change happen. No more boy toys, no more girl toys. Let’s just have toys.

Blog by Melissa Chandler