Is it normal children and gender culture

I get really irritated when parents only allow their children to play with the toys or colors the parents want, for example a girl only being able to play with dolls and receive fake makeup kits while boys are only allowed to play with toy cars, and nothing can be pink because the parents will say lol pink is a girls color my son isn't gay.

I'm not saying that all girls and boys want to play with something different, there are still lots of girls that just want to stick with dolls and being princesses, but the parents often pressure them to only play with gender specific toys.

I remember I used to work at a fast food place that sells toys with meals, and when I asked the child if they wanted a girl or boy toy, the child said girls (he was a boy) and his dad got so angry with his kid saying that he was a boy and the toy was for girls and he couldn't have it, which made his son really upset.

I don't understand why parents do this, they should let their kids do what they want and decide themselves (unless the kid doesn't know any better or will get in danger)

If I had a daughter who wanted to play football or play with toy cars I would let her or if I had a son and he liked dolls more I would get him things he wants.

I don't understand why people try to gender everything. Clothes are gendered, toys are gendered, food is gendered, why?? Does it make a difference if you buy a chocolate with pink wrapper or blue wrapper?? No!! They are only colors and mean nothing.

I also hate how most girls clothes are very open and revealing, not saying it's bad girls wear what u want but im talking about young girls like 10 shops are selling them very short skirts and ripped shorts, why??? I went into cloth shop once with my friend and her 9 year daughter and while looking around most of the clothes for 9 year olds were so small and revealing it was disgusting!

Why must people gender every thing in there lives?? Whats next girl only water and boy only water???

Voting Results
53% Normal
Based on 32 votes (17 yes)
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Comments ( 25 )
  • charli.m

    I worked for a family who had boy/girl toddler twins. The boy loved pink. He would always want to wear his sisters pink socks, pyjamas, boots, etc. She was the exact opposite, which was nice and convenient. Their parents were totally fine with it.

    I find it sickening to walk through department stores kids department - the clothes and toys drown you in either pink or blue. It's really hard to find little girl's clothes that aren't pink or little boy's clothes that aren't bold, bright colours.

    Most good daycares/child care workers will try offer both "types" of toys and encourage children to play with what they wish. It's part of oureducation, learning that gender stereotypes in childhood are stupid. There's not so much stigma on girls playing with "boys toys" - tomboys are generally ok. But boys playing with girls toys seems to really strike a nerve with some people. Boys can become fathers; why shouldn't they have dolls? That is essentially what dolls are for - pretend play modelling real life.

    Anyway. Blah. It's retarded, like many things in life. And it is very ingrained in our society. It will eventually fuck off, but no time soon, sadly.

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    • kittykatattack

      I think that kids should pick what they want. Gender roles are going to exist no matter what, but it is up to adults to not be biased and to not push a kid one way or another. This reminds me of a time when I was really little (like 5 or 6) and wanted to play in the pool with my brother and cousins (who are all boys). I was spending the night over at my cousins' house with my brother and sister, but we went over to one of my uncle's friend's house to play in their pool. The boys all could play in the pool because they could just swim in some spare swim trunks, but my sister and I were not allowed to because we did not have bathing suits (the gut had a rule about wearing non-bathing suit materials in the pool because it was new). So I went and took my cousin's spare trunks and went in the pool, and I don't think I have ever seen my aunt so angry. She treated me like I was committing a sin for wearing boy's trunks and not wearing a top ( I think the term she called me was "incestious hussy"). I don't think I have ever felt more ashamed of my body in my life. Hell, its one of my first vivid memories.

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      • charli.m

        Jesus :/ what sort of psycho calls a child that?? It doesn't even make sense. What a cunt. I'm sorry she did that to you :/ it saddens and infuriates me when people shame children, particularly about their bodies. Kids internalise that shit and it becomes a part of their internal working model for life.

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    • heckleBucker

      I agree wholeheartedly. Military dolls to achieve tactical superiority.

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  • Arm0se

    I wouldn't give my child fucking makeup to play with regardless of what gender they are. Wtf kids shouldn't be running around trying to look sexy.

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  • helpful_demon

    I think the fact that we assign genders to certain objects/behaviours/colours is absolutely NOT normal. how someone identifies and personally views themselves and what their personal truth is does not dictate what colours they like, what toys they want to play with, or what behaviours they display, and the fact that our society keeps yelling "pink = girls!!! blue = boys!!!" and other sexist crap like that utterly horrifies me. just let people do what they want, love who they love, express themselves how they want to express themselves, and identify the way they feel inside expresses themselves, their souls, and their lived experience to the fullest, truest possible extent. :)

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  • dadaella

    This pisses me off sooo much as well, sick stuck-up sexist bullcrap!! In Germany we have Überraschungsei, a chocolate egg with a toy in it and then they released "Ü-Ei for girls", the alternative pink version with "girly" toys in it, meaning male is the default and female some ditzy anomaly. As a woman, I suffered from this from kindergarten on, when they tried to pressure me into playing with dolls in the "girl's corner" and I saw absolutely no appeal in it. Girls at that age would already compare who's the prettiest thanks to brainwashing and I didn't even get why we should be pretty at all. It's like our minds aren't worth shit and how pleasing to the eye and caring and nurturing to others we are (essentially: how good of a fucking servant) we are is all there is to reach for us in life. So big fucking fuck you to society!

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  • MrsRainbow

    Didn't vote because wasn't 100% sure on what you were actually asking but I think children should play with what they want to and wear what colours they want.

    From working in day care, my experience is that just as many girls want to play with cars and just as many boys want to play with dolls. Let them play.

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  • RoseIsabella

    I've always hated baby dolls, they gave me one when I was like three but I wasn't into it. I preferred stuff with dinosaurs and ballet of course. Honestly, I still hate dolls.

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  • mysistersshadow

    Alot of people have commented but the thing I didn't see was about the fast food toy part so first I know every one has to make money to live but I think selling people some thing as bad for them as fast food is the first problem. Then the second is that you called them a girl toy or boy toy thats on you you could say the one with the pony or the one with the race car or what ever they were and then it wouldn't be like you set the kid up to get knocked down.

    Growing up I never wanted anything but the stuff made for girls so my parents never had to think about this issue maybe they would have got upset I don't know but I was going gymnastics when I was like 2 and half and was always in a very girly environment so I liked pink and wanted pink and Barbie and stuff.

    But I wonder when you make a topic about how people view gender and stuff and you say girl toy or boy toy aren't you just as much brainwashed into the gender roles as anyone? Don't get me wrong I don't think its right to force kids into a box with a picture of their genitals on it and I am not all in favor of PC thinking so I think its complicated and our world is going through alot of big changes right now. Alot of them won't be easy for people to except but that won't stop them from coming.

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  • $mileY

    Fafaine... Or however it is spelt, look it up. All societies have gender roles and stereotypes, it is fair enough to gripe about it, but even YOU called the toys 'boys' or 'girls'. Every society forces this through culture, whether its toys, clothes or body hair... So yea get over it or fight the MAN. * Fa'afafine . boys raised as girls in Samoan culture

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  • sillygirl77

    Parents are just annoying as are kids no matter what they play with. Kids are allowed ti run wild and I care more about that than wherer they play with gendered toys...

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  • wigz

    Yes, it's ridiculous. There's a lot of baby items like strollers and carseats-identical in every way, serve the same purpose- but come in pink or blue. I mean, I get it, I am a parent and I dressed my boy in boy clothes and my girls in girl clothes and I admittedly did enjoy doing a few stereotypical special boy and girl things with my kids. But the toys and items like carseats being gendered is over the top. And oh no, what if you have a girl first and buy a pink stroller and carseat then you have a son next? Do these people get rid of the pink stuff and buy all new for the boy? I imagine many do.

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  • KingTermite

    Oh and BTW, there's a fascinating article this month's Scientific American - Mind quarterly about transgender children. I found it interesting that many of them regret making the decision to begin transition in their early teens. I think having to live as the gender you've decided you are for 2 years is a good policy, however it raises a lot of issues regarding public restroom use.

    Is that better, you fucking down voting asshats?

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  • Gaylord_Sucksacock

    It's parents like you who have kids that grow up and have absolutely no gender identity whatsoever and try to get a sex change operation.

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    • Bake34

      I disagree. It's children born to open minded parents that will change the world's views on sexual orientation. I mean why is it a big deal for a little boy to play with a doll? Really why? Who is he hurting? It's because American society is still homophobic and things like this are slow to change.

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      • Gaylord_Sucksacock

        Because they shouldn't change, people are confused enough already, how confused do you really want them to get? How ridiculous is this going to get? Girls play with dolls and boys rough house with each other, it worked for centuries, now it's suddenly obsolete because some idiot liberals got together and decided it's too gender specific? Being homophobic is a choice people are free to make, I certainly wouldn't encourage my male child to behave like a girl. What fucking idiotic sense would that make?

        No wonder so many adults grow up and seek therapy or antidepressants, they have no idea what they are or more importantly WHO they are.

        Get some common sense.

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        • Bake34

          Well it's obviously a choice you made. I'm not saying to force your straight son to play with dolls. I'm talking about the boys who ask for a doll. What the fuck is wrong with that? And just because my opinion differs from your own does not mean I lack common sense. Nice try though.

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    • The fuck? That's wrong as fuck lol. I have a transgender friend whos parents raised him as a full on girl and would only let him play with 'girl toys' like dolls n shit, guess what? He wants to get a sex change. Your logic is not true.

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      • Couman

        I know this opinion may be controversial as well, but I think artificial gender restrictions (e.g. only play with "girl toys") may actually contribute to gender identity problems. Perhaps if people like your friend friend had been raised without such restrictions they wouldn't see any conflict between being female and what they want in life.

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      • Sweaty_Balls

        Your post makes no sense, you fucking idiot. A male child who was raised as a full on girl? Of course he would want a sex change, HE was raised as a girl.

        What sort of parent would confuse a child like that.

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        • I'm sorry, but do you know even know what transgender means? My friend was born with a vagina, however is T R A N S, meaning he refers to himself as male you fucking idiot.

          Do you really think I would use incorrect pronouns for my *trans* friend?? That's the whole fucking point of being transgender, that you feel like the opposite gender to what you were assigned with at birth in the fucking hospital. Maybe you should look into it more before running your fucking mouth on a topic you don't know shit about.

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          • Penisballs_Flatulitis

            Who cares about the topic? It's related to undiagnosed mental illness. Not the need to spontaneously change your gender.

            You do need to research, REAL research, into the success rates of those people who have gone through this ridiculously unnecessary surgery and find out exactly how satisfied they are with their new "quality of life".

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            • I care. If you're going to retort with you don't care, then don't fucking comment on something involving transgenders.

              "Spontaneously" Yeah, because obviously that's what every transgender does. One day they wake up and go "I'd like to feel like a girl now" you fucking ignorant, it takes years of evaluation from doctors before transgenders can even be CONSIDERED to start their transition. That's enough time for them to think if they really want to go through with the procedure and if it's what will truly make them happier.

              There are plenty of success rates, I'm not saying that there are some people who regret making the transition and realize they were happier being the gender they were first assigned as, however it's a risk someone has to take. The success rates are much more higher then the ones that are not.

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  • KingTermite

    tl;dr

    Maybe you raise your kids, they raise theirs?

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