Kids Crossing the Gender Line

We are a society that seems to impress gender distinctions on our children at a very early age. These distinctions can cause devastation problems in a child’s life, including bullying, teasing and identity confusion. Thankfully, some toy stores are taking steps to make changes in this direction through the creation of toy worlds, as opposed to gender-specific areas.

Separating the pink and blue for girls and boys can create a problem for our kids. Why can’t a girl carry a lunchbox that features Star Wars characters? While the lines of distinction should never be so specific, it has already been shown that we need to encourage creativity and self-identity without closing kids into a harsh, predetermined gender box.

Many of the toy manufacturers are joining this concept through slight differentiations to allow both boys and girls to enjoy the same product, but branded just a little bit differently for each.

Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/living/harrods-gender-neutral-toys/index.html?hpt=hp_bn11
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/pages/Gender-Identity-and-Gender-Confusion-In-Children

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.