Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Gendered Toys

Tags: gender studies, networking, video
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  • 9 comments
wander_realtai

wander_realtai

December 29 2011, 20:33:35 UTC 9 years ago

Haha... I preferred action figures to baby dolls too. I also would hijack the game when my friends and I would play "house" and turn it into a game of pirates. It was much more fun that way!
ysabetwordsmith

Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

December 29 2011, 21:11:35 UTC 9 years ago

I had a few babydolls but no barbies or other fashion dolls. My favorite toys included farm animals and the whole category of build-its -- lincoln logs, blocks, legos, construx, etc.

And one of my current collections is linguist dolls.
wander_realtai

Re: Yes...

wander_realtai

December 29 2011, 21:18:43 UTC 9 years ago

Oh yes, legos, and Play-Do! I loved Play-Do. And Lite-Brite. (I think I'm dating myself with this comment... lmao)

I had Barbies, but I turned them into action figures. I also collected toy horses.
lb_lee

Re: Yes...

lb_lee

December 30 2011, 14:17:44 UTC 9 years ago

Linguist dolls? I want to know more!
ysabetwordsmith

Re: Yes...

ysabetwordsmith

December 30 2011, 16:31:31 UTC 9 years ago

Well, it started with a conversation some years ago after Disney's movie "Atlantis" came out. my_partner_doug and I were in the grocery store and there was a display of action figures from the movie ...

Doug: "Look, it's Milo Thatch and Kida."
Me: "I don't need to start another collection."
Doug: "They're on sale."
Me: "I really don't need another collection."
Doug: "You could have the world's only collection of linguist dolls."
Me: "Put them in the cart."

As it has evolved, the collection has two parts: The umbra consists of characters like Milo Thatch, who are explicitly defined in canon as being linguists, xenolinguists, or some equivalent. (I was particularly amused by the description of Milo as "an expert in gibberish.") The penumbra adds characters who aren't canonically defined as linguists, but serve as translators or other linguistically skilled roles, who are portrayed speaking multiple languages, etc.

The latest addition is Cadet Uhura. We watched the Star Trek reboot movie not long ago, and in that Uhura mentions that she is studying xenolinguistics (which also plays into the plot). I squealed when she said that, and immediately started speculating as to whether there were action figures for that character. After the movie ended, my_partner_doug went upstairs, ran a search, and found one.
lb_lee

Re: Yes...

lb_lee

December 30 2011, 16:46:44 UTC 9 years ago

Aw, a shame there was never a doll for Emma Bishop from Ruse, then. Ruse is a sadly now out of print comics title by Crossgen, a Sherlock Holmes rip-off with gargoyles instead of rats. (Also some random magic.) Emma Bishop plays the Watson of the series, and one of her big contributions to her Sherlock Holmes is that she speaks many languages, while he never bothers, claiming that language is best mastered nonverbally.

That is an awesome collection though.

--Rogan
siege

Re: Yes...

siege

December 31 2011, 01:43:52 UTC 9 years ago

Uhura, in book canon, has degrees in xenolinguistics, and knows at least thirty languages (some imperfectly), including Klingon, Vulcan, and several artificial languages. Her doctoral thesis was on artificial languages and cultural constructs.
mejeep

gender neutrality

mejeep

December 30 2011, 01:07:30 UTC 9 years ago

I've found more articles & discussions this year about gender issues than ever before. And it's mostly about kids, their parents and teachers and the realization that it's more than just typecasting, it's brainwashing ("girls do this, boys do that ...").

My take: IT'S ABOUT DAMNED TIME that we finally question such things. The kid's right: toys and many things ought to be "unisex" or gender-neutral.

When I was a kid, only girls wore sandals. Tevas, Crocs and such are FINALLY totally unisex: worn by boys, girls, teens and "grown-ups". It's a SMALL change but it does my heart good.

If only other companies would learn that "targeted marketing" is not just a waste of time & money, it's downright INSULTING to folks outside of their "intended demographic" who'd otherwise be happy customers.
ysabetwordsmith

Re: gender neutrality

ysabetwordsmith

December 30 2011, 01:23:30 UTC 9 years ago

I don't mind target marketing when it's something at the core of the market; for instance, most people interested in princess dolls are girls, and a lot of girls do like pink things and frilly lace. That's okay for them to like. What annoys me is when things that AREN'T like that -- such as blocks -- are marketed as if they were. I agree that it can drive away otherwise interested consumers, and it can reinforce stereotypes in a bad way.

*chuckle* But then there are the counterpoints, like kick-ass Princess Fiona.