CS rep

Yujue Sheng

Soc&101

Professor Custer

08.05.2018

Notes:

Girls:

· A lot of barbies

· Hello Kitty

· Kitchen/ Room/ Dressing sets/LEGO

· A box has bead, strings or other decorations which can make jewelry by themselves

· A lot of color pink

· Dresses

· Bright colors

· Shirts with cute pictures

Boys:

· A lot of toy guns

· Star Wars series of toys

· A lot of cars, trucks

· Spider man, Captain of America

· Dark colors

· Pictures on shirts are not abundant than girls

Neutral:

· Bubbles

· Animals

· Toys which little kids play

Analysis

This week, I chose to go to Fred Meyer to do this observation assignment. Although there are no signs to show which shelves of toys are for boys, which shelves of toys are for girls, it is still obvious to figure out. It is because of gender socialization. Actually, I never think about this situation before. I even never heard about gender socialization. However, I can see how prominent the gender socialization is in America through observing toys and clothing this time.

There were many recurring themes when I observed the toys and clothing. The first theme was the difference between boys’ and girls’ toys. I found that the toys for girls were most Barbies and dolls. They also had the same element which was color pink. However, the toys for boys were most cars, toy guns and hero toys which had a little bit violence. Another theme was the difference between clothing for boys and girls. I observed that the clothing for girls in market were almost dresses. They were still pink or colorful. The shirts for girls also had cute pictures on it. Nonetheless, when I walked to the place which sold boys’ clothes, it was totally different from girls. The biggest part was the colors. Boys’ clothes were darker, like black, brown, and dark green. According to Elizabeth (2012) in her article Guys and Dolls no more, “This becomes a self-reinforcing cycle: as toys have become more and more gender segregated, the social costs of boundary crossing and the peer pressure to stay within the lines are huge, for kids and parents alike” (p. 2). It proves the observation which I did. It also proves why today’s parents buy their children the toys they think their children should play. I also can imagine that boys will be ridiculed by others if they play dolls. Also, if girls play toy guns, they will be regarded as boys.

I learned a lot about American cultural norms through observing toys and clothing. I think parents who have daughters want them to know their certain gender, so they buy them dolls. They want their daughters to do what girls should do. When girls do it when they are little, it will be influenced them when they grow up. In the same way, parents who have sons want them to be a strong man in the future. The toys for boys also can represent that they should be strong. What I recognized at Frey Meyer was there were a lot of Star Wars series toys. I think that is because they want boys to be influenced when they are little so that they can be strong, like characters in Star Wars, and not be weak.

After I finished observing toys and clothing, I could know how important gender socialization is in America, especially for American children. I think that’s because all parents want their children to act and do the things which are accordant to their gender. It will influence them in the future as well.

References:

Sweet, E. (2012). Guys and Dolls No More?.2