Toy Op-Ed Reflection (Anna Siegel)

Most people think that kids have it easy, as they haven't yet had to grow up and experience "the cruel grasp of society," or that children live freely without having to follow any sort of social constructs. Though this may seem true at first glance, it takes as little as stepping into a toy store to know this is not true. Upon entry, one will likely immediately notice rows of pink and blue toys. The pink rows are typically filled with stereotypically girly items involving fashion and dolls, while boys aisles are stocked full with brawny action figures and race cars. These separate aisles enforce the sociological construct of gender upon children at an extremely young age, which can be very detrimental to a young, impressionable mind. 

For one, children that do not prefer toys from their own "section" may feel ridiculed or like they stand out amongst their friends, or they may just not even choose the toy at all. Children pressured by their parents or their peers are likely to just get something they don't enjoy as much, rather than face consequences. Another issue with gendered toys that is less commonly discussed is that it forces children into one of two boxes, while not every child feels that they fit into one of them. Everyone at a young age is assumed to be cisgender, and as the time passes, it becomes more and more apparent that this isn't always true. An issue on the reverse of this spectrum is that a child can be accused of not being cisgender, just because he prefers a doll over a race car. Children should be allowed to live however they choose, and early social constructs caused by entering something as simple as a toy store should not hinder somebody's ability to enjoy their childhood.