Morgan McCredie Little Nurses, Little Doctors I want something very, very girly. Shes a princess.

Having grown up surrounded by toys in a family-owned and operated toy store, I had grown accustomed to the very large distinction between what is determined to be a boys toy and what is determined to be a girls toy. Very rarely do any toys act as world travellers between the two much defined sexes. Even when shopping for an infant, gender and gender stereotypes are heavily reinforced, instilling in children at the youngest possible age what it means to be male and what it means to be female in modern American society. As children grow older, the influence of toys transitions to the influence of the media and peers at school, and at a highly impressionable age, children are overwhelmed on a consistent basis of what exactly defines the gender they have been taught to identify with. By this process of consistent and relentless gender education in daily life, gender becomes a socially constructed phenomenon, aiding feminists by offering a glimpse of hope that gender is constructed rather than simply biological and therefore has the potential to change. So when does this process of gender construction begin? Oftentimes even before the child exits the womb. Names, typically chosen before childbirth, are often reflective of the sex of the child, with female names having soft, flowing sounds and male names often sounding more firm. For example, the top five female baby names of 2010 all ended in the letter a, softening the ending and creating a flowing sound, demonstrating the softness and gentleness of femininity. In comparison, the top male names, such as Jacob, Ethan, and Michael, end concisely with harsher accents in the middle, demonstrating the ideal tough and harsh nature of masculinity (Popular Baby Names). As these children grow, their assigned genders are consistently

reinforced through the toys and clothing they are given by parents and caretakers, often on the basis of masculine and feminine stereotypes. Coming from my history in the toy business, I saw shoppers gravitate towards pink imitation purses and beauty bags for little girls and tool sets and sports bags for little boys. In reality, in the infancy stage, all of these toys were relatively the same, a small plush item that makes engaging noises and allows ample space for teething. So who were these toys really meant for? According to Judith Lorber, author of Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender, gender is one of the major ways that human beings organize their lives (54). Therefore, social construction of gender is the process by which the media, other people, and society itself reinforce the distinction between males and females by highlighting masculine and feminine stereotypes in order to make sense of the world. If little girls are taught to play with dolls and wear pink clothing and little boys are taught to play aggressively and wear blue, male and female stereotypes will continue to be perpetuated and the differences between the two genders will be furthermore broadened. As children grow older, they begin to experience gender separation at school: Teachers and aides sometimes drew upon gender as a basis for sorting children and organizing activities (Thorne 178). Here, society once again uses gender as a means of organization, and children are furthermore taught that gender differences exist and that gender groups should remain separate and entirely opposite worlds. Throughout the growing process, children are also continually exposed to the media, including classic Disney movies which emphasize the vulnerable princess and the male hero. Children learn from an early age that the ideal of femininity is to be gentle, weak, and beautiful, while the ideal of masculinity is to be powerful, brave, and in control of the situation. Through constant reminders of the differences between genders and the stereotypes of each, gender in children is constructed by society and continually reinforced as the child ages.

While the construction of gender has deep roots, it does offer some hope for feminists. With the abundance of evidence that gender is socially constructed rather than completely biological, there is a definite possibility that society can change to allow more freedom for people to express themselves without the restraint of gender stereotypes. If society can make small steps, such as making toys that do not support male and female stereotypes but rather allow children to find their own interests, or by changing the media to show the powerful, independent side of women, and the more emotional, vulnerable side of men, perhaps one day the social construction of gender will be less prevalent and gender stereotypes will not prevent people from following their passions. Pretend play is a key component of any healthy child. By using imagination, children are able to experiment with and play out a variety of roles that allow them to eventually create a role for themselves in society. With my experience in the toy business, I saw children often gravitate to pretend play involving animals, particularly that which allowed them to play the part of a veterinarian. In our store, we sold two vet play kits, one of which was particularly targeted towards male children and the other which was clearly targeted towards females. The maleoriented vet kit consists of a plastic animal carrying case, which is red and white and decorated in a simple paw print design. Inside, there is a Dalmatian, which is a symbol of a fire fighter, a job typically attached to a male due to the bravery, physical strength, and command that it entails. The kit also comes with various doctors tools, such as a stethoscope, shot, and scissors, which are also red in color and which closely resemble the tools used by a doctor operating on a human. There is very little color difference in the entire kit, as the kit is nearly entirely red with some hints of yellow. The simplicity in the designs and lack of color seems to be oriented to a

male audience, as masculinity is determined to respect simplicity, such as in clothing and home decoration. In comparison, the female-oriented vet kit is marketed to what seems to be a completely different clientele. The kit consists of a carrying case as well, which is a sparkly pink and blue plastic studded with multicolored gems and lined with pink fur. The flashiness and bright colors are clearly attributed to the feminine ideal, which is seen in womens clothing, home decorations, and personal care. Within the vet kit, there is a kitten with a ribbon tied around its neck, emphasizing the softness and gentleness associated with the ideal of femininity. Within the vet kit, the vet tools consist of multiple brushes and a perfume bottle, all in a bright pink color associated with little girls and resembling the tools that might be used by a beautician. Though the kit is marketed as a Marie Vet Cage, it is much more reflective of grooming and caretaking than actual veterinary care. How do these two toys compare? While both are targeted towards a similar age group and created with the same premise, they both hold clear connotations that go beyond the physical items. By using a Dalmatian as the animal within the male-oriented vet kit, little boys are taught that masculinity is defined by the bravery and physical prowess which are associated with firefighting, a male-dominated profession. In comparison, little girls learn quickly that femininity is associated with that which is soft and gentle, symbolized by the fuzzy kitten with a bow around its neck. Within the kits, the Dalmatian kit contains tools that resemble those used by a doctor, which is typically seen as a male-dominated profession. The boys care of the animal is based upon helping the animals physical health and stability so that the animal can remain strong and healthy. In comparison, the female-oriented kit, while deemed as a vet kit, only contains items used for personal, feminine care, such as a hairbrush, comb, and two perfume

bottles. These items show the objectification of the female body and the importance of beauty to the feminine ideal. Little girls learn that there lies great importance in a womans care for her physical appearance. Rather than teaching children to become future doctors, the little girls are encouraged by the toy to focus on beauty care and simple grooming tasks, which are ultimately reflecting the stereotype of a female homemaker. In addition, there are different implications behind which child plays with which vet kit. While most shoppers will buy the female-oriented vet kit for a little girl, it is not socially unacceptable for a female child to use the male-oriented kit. However, if a male child were to play with the pink female-oriented vet kit, it would be more likely for society to find deeper meanings behind the childs use of the toy. A male child caring for the kitten by combing its hair and pretending to dowse it in perfume would be more likely to be seen as feminine and perhaps homosexual due to the deep rooted connection between women and beauty maintenance. Thus, not only is the product selling a veterinarian kit, it is additionally selling female and male occupational stereotypes. Men are considered more domineering in math and science, and thus, it would make sense for a young man to experiment with the role of a doctor. In comparison, females are stereotypically associated with the feminine ideal of care-taking as wives and mothers, and thus, such a kit allows women to experiment with domestic work as well as personal beauty care. While both vet kits have a similar premise, they are targeted towards two entirely different markets, supporting the idea of socially constructed gender. Even in something as simple as a toy used for pretend play, males and females are put into entirely separate categories and exposed to entirely different worlds. On one hand, a young man is taught that in order to be successful as a male, he must focus on simplicity, power, and control and follow a path that leads

him to a profession deemed masculine, such as that of a doctor. On the other hand, young women learn that in order to follow the feminine ideal, they must continually focus on physical beauty, whether in the vet case itself or the care of the kitten, and the concept of care-taking, which is closely associated with the domestic work stereotypically assigned to women. As they pretend and play different roles, male and female children learn what is expected from them as a member of one particular gender to which they associate themselves and prepare themselves for the real world, where such roles will carry into daily life. What does this tell us about society? Perhaps the first step to changing our gender stereotypes is to focus not on little doctors or little nurses but rather, little children, so that they alone can create a role for themselves.

Works Cited

Learning Express of Exton. Learning Express Toys, 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.

Lorber, Judith. ""Night to His Day": The Social Construction of Gender." Feminist Frontiers 4 (2009): 53-65. Print.

"Popular Baby Names." The United States Social Security Administration. Social Security Online, 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011.

Thorne, Barrie. "Girls and Boys Together...but Mostly Apart: Gender Arrangements in Elementary Schools." Feminist Frontiers 4 (2009): 176-85. Print.