Is there a “pink aisle” filled with toys targeted at girls and a “khaki aisle” filled with toys targeted at boys, or does the store stress ungendered toys?
In the Marketplace
For RA7 you will doing the assignment explained in your text (page 159) entitled In the Marketplace. Follow the directions as listed in your text (I have also pasted them below). However, if going to physical stores is not possible, you do not feel safe doing so, or you just prefer not to, you may visit the online sites of stores. Please note in your write-up which method you chose (or if you did both).
Directions:
Browse through a toy store in a mall or the toy department in a large department store. Is there a “pink aisle” filled with toys targeted at girls and a “khaki aisle” filled with toys targeted at boys, or does the store stress ungendered toys? What themes and expectations are stressed in toys for boys and toys for girls, and how do these differ? Play, among other things, is socialization and rehearsal for adult roles. What types of adult roles are children rehearsing when they play with these toys?
Next, visit a children’s clothing store or the children’s department in a department store, browse through the infant and toddler clothing and then go on to school clothes and teen fashions. Note the differences between the clothing for boys and the clothing for girls: colors, patterns, styles, fabrics, prevailing themes, and common accessories. What messages do the clothes convey about the meanings of masculinity and femininity? How might wearing this clothing affect a child’s self-image, imagination, and behavior? How might the clothing affect the way the child is treated? How might the clothing affect the types of activities the child is likely to pursue? Think about styles and trends in adult clothing: Do they reinforce or challenge this early socialization?
Finally, the harder question: How does this socialization interact with the structures of careers, opportunity, and inequality in our society? Are certain images and behaviors more likely to lead to financial rewards and success?
Notes:
Your essay (not including references) should be 400-600 words.
Proofread for grammatical and spelling errors prior to submitting.
Ensure that you are submitting your own original work and are not plagiarizing material.
Include links to the websites you visited (if applicable) and any other references used (if applicable).
