Toy Op - ed Reflection - Sarah Seeliger

Gendered Toys 


I think the discussion we had in class today about gender and toys was very interesting. I believe that society's view on toys and gender correlates perfectly with the Conflict Theory of sociology. There is one main reason as to why I think this theory fits.

The Conflict Theory was developed by Karl Marx, and it says that society is interpreted as having conflicting interest groups that are fighting for privileges as well as power. The theory says that this results in social change, which is normal. The Conflict Theory focuses primarily on inequality and differential distribution of power and wealth. 


How does the Conflict Theory Relate to Toys?

The Conflict Theory relates to gendered toys in many ways, but I will only be talking about one. One way I think the Conflict Theory relates to this topic is with parents letting their kids choose what toys their kids want to play with. As stated by Dr. Kristin Carothers, " Parents ultimately have the power to make their children feel safe and secure in their identity...".  Dr. Carothers talks about children she has worked with who play with opposite - sex toys, but are feel embarrassed about it because they feel like their friends will bully them or that they will get in trouble with their parents. 

Here's the conflict. Parents want and should provide a safe place at home for their kids to explore their interests and play with whatever they want, but manufacturers make all toys very gendered. Toys are either meant for only girls or only boys. These manufacturers also advertise their toys in a very gendered way. The conflict is trying to make kids feel confident about playing with whatever they want while at the same time trying to prevent them from getting bullied or made fun of. These two things are "fighting" with each other, which creates a problem. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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 thei...
Read more

Homelessness

10/17/18 Homelessness is a serious issue that has been affecting our world. It is clear, everywhere there are homeless individuals on the streets.   The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports there are more than 610,000 people experiencing homelessness  in our country.   Yes, shelters are provided, but a majority of people are not staying in the shelters. I have watched many interviews on homeless individuals discussing the problems with shelters. Lack of food, unsanitary environments, commotion between each other, etc. You would think staying in a shelter would be the most sensible option. Although, after watching many interviews, people said they would rather sleep in the streets than in a shelter. Not all homeless individuals have lost everything because they sold their lives away for drugs and alcohol. Some become homeless because of financial challenges such as losing a job, unexpected bills, tragedies, etc. Imagine not having a place to sleep,...
Read more

The Potato

Luke Kirchner      After reading the article about potatoes, I have to agree with the author and say the Potato is one of the most important crops. It allowed for major expansion, trade and food production. When the potato arrived in Europe, I brought a new nutrition that was easy to haul long distances.      The Columbian Exchange connected Africa, The Old World, and The Americas to share ideas, technology, and resources. One of the leading exported items was the pepper, along with the potato, which was a beneficial factor in Population changes. New pathogens in the Americas led to a decrease in population and in Europe they were quickly domesticated and spread- Therefore raising population. The Columbian Exchange also added chocolate and tomatoes to more people's diet.      Sweet potatoes also proved to last in other places, such as China. The sweet potato could survive flood which were frequent in some areas. Because farmers blamed t...
Read more