Girls' Toys: Then & Now
What message do they send?
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Girls' Toys
Just by their unique nature and the way they were created, girls play differently than boys do & with different toys as well. Boys are builders and heroes-LEGOS, blocks, trucks, cars, firemen, dragons & knights, ect. are the toys you'll find them playing with. But more often than not, little girls are found playing house in their play kitchen with their dolls and strollers at their side.
If you would walk into a room with a little girl and a little boy and on the floor is a set of trucks and cars on one side and a baby doll and dress up clothes on the other what would happen? Who would be attracted to what? As Stasi & John Edlredge talk in their book "Captivating", which talks about the nature of a woman's soul, women are nurturers fashioned to be compassionate and loving towards others. This is why it is more natural for the girl to be gravitated toward the baby doll.
But girls' dolls are not what they used to be. Hypersexualizing the market of girls' toys is something on the rise that many are oblivious to. When we walk into the girls' toy aisle we are more than likely flooded with an array of pinks and purples. Most people don't think twice about this reality. "It's always been like that right?" they ask. But this is wrong-this reality is part of the effect of our over sexualized brand of girls toys. Instead of a brown play-brick doll house, a plastic pink mansion is found in its place. Instead of realistic, average looking dolls, dolls with insensible face and body proportions take their place. Theses are just a few examples of the changes seen in girls' toys over the past decade and more.
"Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldredge
Quotes about the Nature of Women
~We have lost the idea of who a woman is by her nature. Instead most focus on what her physical appearance accomplishes (often men objectifying women) & what can a woman do.
-"[There is] an underlying, gut feeling of failure at [who the woman] is... and the result is Shame." (Eldredge 7)
-"We, as women, define ourselves based on relationships: mother, sister..." (Eldredge 27)
~why girls play with dolls
~we like to dress up and play "mom" because it is in our nurturing and compassionate nature
~we were made to become moms and care for children
-"Every girl has a unique Beauty to Unveil"
~why it is such a problem that we have begun to distort the image of beauty
Popular Toys Through the Years & How They've Changed
Baby Doll Strollers
Old Littlest Pet Shops
New Littlest Pet Shops
Old Barbie House
Barbie House Today
Barbie's house today is an explosion of pink. From the refrigerator to the front doors, every possible space is colored pink or purple. Barbie's house has also become very unrealistic with elevators and fancy extravagant bedrooms.
Strawberry Shortcake Cartoons Version 1-2-3
Strawberry Shortcake 1
Strawberry Shortcake 2
Strawberry Shortcake 3
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LEGOS
LEGO Bricks
LEGO Creations
Girl's Creativity
Girl LEGO Characters Then and Now
LEGO Friends
LEGO Friends Cafe
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Barbie-1959 to Today
Today
Barbie Evolution-1959 to 2009
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Barbie's Figure
Top Picture: How Barbie's Body has changed since the 90s
Bottom Row: Doll on the left is the standard marketed Barbie doll of today, the doll on the right was created based on the average 19 year old American woman's body
Barbie Before and After Makeup
Negativity Taken to the Extreme
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Positive Aspects of Barbie
Barbie's Professions
Variety of Races in Dolls
Below: In 2012, Barbie launched the "I Can Be...President Doll" in honor of the U.S. Presidential Election. This line, complete with 4 Barbies of different races, was created to inspire young girls to become leaders as these barbie dolls stand on their own, literally. With her new shoe design, President Barbie can now stand on her own two feet (without a doll stand) on her presidential platform as she calls for girls to "B inspired," "B informed" and "B involved."
African American
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Final Analysis
Sources used
"Captivating" by John & Staci Eldredge
For pictures & information:
http://www.hercampus.com/school/bloom-u/top-10-girls-toys-then-and-now
http://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/heres-what-23-of-your-childhood-toys-look-like-now
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/lego.htm
http://littlestpetshopclub.blogspot.com/2008/01/history-of-littlest-pet-shop.html
http://www.npr.org/2012/01/18/145397007/gender-controversy-stacks-up-against-lego-friends
http://www.thelifefiles.com/artist-creates-new-more-normal-barbie/
Mr. Brasko Sociology Presentation #1