Gender issues: Action!

I was very surprised and greatly encouraged by the number of readers viewing SusanSays last week following my post about gender free toys for children.

There were also a number of responses on our Rogan Family Care Facebook page and after contact with Let Toys be Toys-For Girls and Boys, who say they have had a number of contacts from Australia, I've decided to take up the issue.

While I believe it is compatible with Rogan Family Care, I have decided to ask Sue Wragg, who does some work for us from time to time, to manage a campaign to promote gender neutral toys so that the on-going work of the agency is not disrupted.

Sue has started a Facebook page Gender neural toys for children and is looking for support in promoting this campaign in Australia.  If this is to be successful she will need people with ideas, energy and drive who are sympathetic to this cause.

Many parents, as well as kindergartens, childcare centres and nannies do a great job in encouraging children to have a variety of play experiences and to follow their interests, but unfortunately toy shops, particularly the mass market/major retailers and manufacturers still market their products in such gender divided ways that stereotyping continues.

I realise that our culture still has a long way to go in their attitudes, but change has to begin somewhere and this is a small seed that we very much hope will grow and bear fruit.

Important footnote
A new group, Play Unlimited-every toy for every body, has taken this up in Australia and with wide media publicity has launched a petition against Toys 'R Us online gender-biased advertising.
If you are interested in following up this issue I'd urge you to check out their website and sign the petition.
Sue is taking down the Facebook page she started to follow up this issue and with me, urges people to follow Play Unlimited.