Retailers over the years have started to remove toy labels that define them as being for girls or boys. One of the nation’s largest retailers, Target, is a little late to the party, just now hopping on the bandwagon. The world is no longer black and white, and toy aisles are no longer pink and blue. Target now believes that separating products due to their gender is no longer necessary, making their aisles gender-neutral.
Boy toys and girl toys have been separated not only by aisle but by color in retail stores. This separation clearly defines which toys would be acceptable for young children to play with according to their gender. Target, like many retailers, are taking away these color suggestions as well as signs advertising which aisles are for boys and girls.
As a child, I used to love walking down the bright pink aisle lined with Barbies and dolls, dress up clothes and kitchen sets, but that was what I was interested in. My brother used to love to do anything I did. He would wear my feather boas and purple dress up heels, or ballet costume. He would also play with my dolls instead of action figures at times. This was a phase of what he was interested in. Who would blame him? Girls toys are more appealing to the eye.
Brightly colored girl toys and accessories look more fun and appealing than dark colored action figures and swords. Especially if a younger brother sees an older sister playing with a certain item that is labeled as a “girl toy,” it wouldn’t make sense to them that they couldn't also play with it because they aren't a girl.
Target credits this movement to their evolving customers and their interests saying, “We know that shopping preferences and needs change…in some departments like toys, home or entertainment, suggesting products by gender is unnecessary.”
The separation of toys due to gender plays into a larger concept, the idea that society deems what is appropriate for little boys and girls to play with. Gender neutral aisles allow children to pick what toy they want to off of the shelves, not just the toys that society limits.
Some children don't fall into the interest category that has been set for their gender, they like toys that would be considered out of the norm. This in no way makes them deviant. A little girl might like to play with action figures because they are more exciting and different than Barbie dolls. A little boy might prefer to play with barbie dolls because they are more familiar than actions figures, and they can relate to them.
A little boy might want to play house because he is mimicking what he sees mom and dad do all the time at home. Familiarity plays a role into what children choose to play with because they mimic what they see. Thanks to gender-neutral aisles, he or she can choose to play with whatever he or she wants.
