tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post2232130106165359939..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: Let Books be Books by Keren DavidUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-17136328269872898892014-03-09T07:23:09.242+00:002014-03-09T07:23:09.242+00:00This prompted me to look for a fabulous article I ...This prompted me to look for a fabulous article I saw on gender neutrality, but can't find it -- but I did find this Smithsonian link, which touches on the same issues (clothes, not books, but the same principle): http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-did-girls-start-wearing-pink-1370097/?all Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-55560247997509038672014-03-08T14:01:52.756+00:002014-03-08T14:01:52.756+00:00My oldest son's favourite colour was pink unti...My oldest son's favourite colour was pink until he went to school and, in his words, "learned pink is just for girls." My younger son is 5 and doesn't go to school (we home educate now) and he loves pink *and* sparkly (he also loves trucks and monsters). He often asks me why the pink sparkly stuff in shops says it's just for girls. Keris Staintonhttp://dellasays.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-40628369045647680332014-03-08T11:17:04.747+00:002014-03-08T11:17:04.747+00:00"...so that boys can enjoy the pink and spark..."...so that boys can enjoy the pink and sparkly too, if they want to?.."<br /><br />No 'fanks..Andrew Prestonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14063661979113168003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-15853997899745172322014-03-08T09:50:17.349+00:002014-03-08T09:50:17.349+00:00If books (and toys, etc) are not labelled as suita...If books (and toys, etc) are not labelled as suitable for boys and girls, there might still be a polarisation of choice - but if it's undirected and unconstrained, choice, then that's fine. I thnk a lot depends on family circustances. I had two girls, who liked LEGO, Action Man, a plastic tool set - and zoo animals, dinosaurs, and other non-gendered toys. They also dressed up in costumes of all types, including some girlie ones, and played with some awful thing called 'sky dancers' which whirled up in the air and were sparkly. If they had had brothers, playing with girlie toys might have been a way of setting out their own territory (on the basis that a boy wouldn't want to nick their fairy princess). So I wouldn't deny a girl her pleasure in pink things but neither would I encourage it. I wonder how much time a 5yo would spend drawing pink princesses if that wasn't what the world told her she should like, though... They aren't very interesting, when compared to dinosaurs or whatever because they never *do* anythingStroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-14134268485219145142014-03-08T09:44:22.320+00:002014-03-08T09:44:22.320+00:00No one should be denied anything - but why not op...No one should be denied anything - but why not open things up a bit, so that boys can enjoy the pink and sparkly too, if they want to? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10610409581031026487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-70770507199350294832014-03-08T09:35:27.375+00:002014-03-08T09:35:27.375+00:00There's probably a middle line. There are some...There's probably a middle line. There are some books that appeal to both sexes (dare I mention Harry Potter here) but most of my favourite childhood books would not have appealed to boys at all. On the other hand everything pink and sparkly versus blue and mechanical is a bit sckening. On the other hand my 5yo daughter only draws pink and sparkly princesses, all day, every day. Should she be denied her passion?<br />Rachel Selbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13113411205306116614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-23043776721919165622014-03-08T08:45:18.465+00:002014-03-08T08:45:18.465+00:00Signed. Without understanding why we are STILL ha...Signed. Without understanding why we are STILL having to fight this stuff, I know we have to keep fighting.Joan Lennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763862159032836768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-82553686020500010532014-03-08T02:47:30.868+00:002014-03-08T02:47:30.868+00:00This is a really tough one to crack. I think there...This is a really tough one to crack. I think there are sex differences - my studies in psychology suggest that and also suggest that this is not just because of environmental influences. (Anna Freud did some interesting work in this area.) But I agree that marketing needs to be much less sexist. Doing that might also help to reduce sexual abuse and violence.catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.com