SIDE THOUGHTS - McDonald's Happy Meal Toys - Why "Girls" and "Boys" Toys?
My 6 year old son LOVES Wizard of Oz! He has seen the Judy Garland version at least 6 times. He has also seen the Muppets version many times. When McDonalds in April came out with the Wizard of Oz dolls, he was ecstatic! He wanted to go to McDonalds every week. For each new doll, he draws background sceneries for it. He would put it in the shoebox with others and he would play with them repeatedly. He even developed a Wizard of Oz play and wrote out scenes and dialogues.
There was only one snag in his bliss.
The Wizard of Oz dolls were considered a "girl" toy in the McDonald Happy Meal. Every time we went to order a happy meal, the folks who took the order would either automatically give him the "boy" toy, which was Teenage Mutant Turtles dolls (sorry, for boys, they are called figures!) or would correct me when I said I wanted the Wizard of Oz toy when they see my son.
My son could not understand why the Wizard of Oz dolls were considered a "girl" toy. As he said, "Both boys and girls can play with these dolls, why do they say it is only for girls?" Why indeed! It got me thinking. It is strange how we try so hard to break the stereotypes of female and male roles as adults and yet to children, stereotyping is done even at McDonalds!
4 comments:
Thank you for the Judy Garland info.
I noticed this too! They even raise their eyebrows when I ask for a "boy" toy for my daughter!
Wizard of Oz "girl" toys?? How odd. Except for the whole Judy Garland thing, it doesn't make sense. My son went through a Wizard of Oz faze. As a matter of fact I bought him Wizard of Oz Barbie collection. I thought this sort of sterotyping was done with. Shame on McDonalds.
Invite, strangest thing isn't I don't even know why they have "boys" and "girls" toys anymore.
Post a Comment