I watched a YouTube video today in which Jimmy Kimmel challenged parents to allow their children to open one Christmas gift early. The catch was, the parents were to find and wrap gifts their kids wouldn't like, and then film their reactions.
Kids were given a range of gifts from half-eaten sandwiches to a stapler to a battery.
Other kids were given toys or clothes specifically made for the other sex, i.e. one boy was given a set of "My Little Pony" toys and another was given a "Hello Kitty" sweater.
While the reactions from the kids that were given random items, like toilet paper, were confusion or disappointment, the reactions from the boys that were given "girls" toys were different. These boys were furious.
The boy given the ponies threw them and repeatedly said, "These are for girls!"
The boy given the pink and purple sweater stomped around the house screaming and crying that he got a "stupid 'Hello Kitty' sweater" and that he "hated" his parents for giving it to him.
While the "Hello Kitty" kid was a spoiled brat, I was surprised at the fury of the other boys who got girls gifts. Are boys incapable of playing with horse toys? Is it just because it's pink that it's "for girls?"
My favorite toys growing up were dolls, action figures, and racecars. I played with all of these toys with my brother. I didn't mind playing with our Ninja Turtle and Masters of the Universe action figures--traditionally thought of as "boys" toys--just as he never minded playing with Cabbage Patch dolls--traditionally thought of as "girls" toys.
We even each had our own dolls--mine was named James and his was named Matthew and James always told Matthew to do dishes and Matthew always broke them.
It bothers me that there is such a divide with toys. Even at any store there are very distinct, separate aisles for girls toys and boys toys and then one for board games.
In Lichtenstein, there will be no such thing as "boys" and "girls" toys. There will be a toy section in every store with just toys. Maybe a little boy wants to play dress-up and a girl wants to play with toy guns. That will be OK.
Plus, there are so many kids who don't have toys that kids in Lichtenstein will be brought up to appreciate any toy that they have. Regardless of the color of the pony's mane.
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