Toys that parents buy for their kids tend to have a great influence on how the children view cultural gender roles. Most parents tend to choose toys for their kids based on gender appropriateness. This in turn tends to have an impact on how children perceive various gender roles in a limited manner. According to the dictionary, sexuality refers to a person’s attitudes related to sex and physical intimacy with others.Sexual consumerism refers to the practice of adopting specifically sexually appealing ideas to entice clients into buying a given commodity (Tissier-Desbordes & Visconti, 2020). In the current world, the marketing of toys plays a significant role in reinforcing societal norms and gender stereotypes regarding sexuality and gender. In most instances, sexuality is marketed to consumers as a consumerist product and produced through socially created variations. Toys for children are not merely objects of entertainment, they act as tools through which children learn about sexualities, identities, societal expectations, and gender roles. Understanding the marketing of toys for boys and girls plays a vital role in depicting how sexuality is used in marketing, additionally, sexual orientations as well as social beauty standards are some of how sexuality is marketed to us.
Toys directed and marketed towards girls often emphasize beauty ideas and home life. Makeup kits, dolls, kitchen sets, and costumes are mostly marketed to girls, this in turn promotes femininity in nurturing empathy, and physical appearance. The perception that girls depict from these toys is in a way that girls should focus more on relationships and appearances over other lively pursuits. These products are largely consumed by girls due to the perception of sexuality.
Toys come in different vibrant colors such as red, pink, purple, and white. These color packagings reflect the societal expectation enclosed within femininity. The marketing strategy for the toy color relies on the assumption that girls are naturally drawn to brighter themes of love, caregiving, and beauty, nourishing their perception of sexualities from a tender age.
Boys on the other hand get toys that point up to the themes of dominance, action, and adventure. Marketers often promote attributes associated with masculinity such as competitiveness, strength, and courage. The toys such as toy cars, weapons, construction sets, and hero figures are marketed to boys. This leads boys to be assertive and adventurous hence reinforcing sexual roles on gender.
Black, blue, and grey are color palettes of toys that reinforce sexuality stereotypes. Boys who do not show interest in such colors may face criticism from peers, thus making dull colors a means to conform to sexuality and gender norms. The assumption that boys are drawn to the idea of power and aggression makes the marketing of these colored toys liquefiable, thereby shaping their grasp of masculinity from an early age.
The marketing of toys heavily relies on societal expectations and stereotypes across masculinity and femininity. The design and packaging of toys depict a narrative that manufacturers reinforce stereotypes to appeal to their targeted audience. Advertisement of boys’ toys features heroes-packed scenes with high-energy music to emphasize themes of power and strength. Adverts for girls often feature softer imagery with gentle music to show themes of beauty and friendship.
Sexuality is also marketed as a consumerist commodity through sexual orientation and identity representation. Two main types of sexual orientations are homosexual and heterosexual. Advertisements in media towards promoting LGBTQ+ representation have led to an increased trend in their inclusion. Although LGBTQ+ content is usually limited in the media, streaming platforms account for most of it. LGBTQ+ audiences view traditional TV as non-inclusive and prefer movies and streaming services programs while heterosexuals view otherwise (Neilsen,2023). The increasing representation of LGBTQ+ is a good sign of increased diversity in recognizing various sexual orientations and identities.
The promotion of social standards of beauty and how the body image is ‘supposed to be’ has led to a limited view of how we define beauty. Social standards of beauty have changed from underscoring female curves to the promotion of thin and slender bodies. Women’s value based on physical appearance has remained constant while their integrity remains underrated. Women are therefore forced to go for certain fashions and other products that promise to enhance their physical appearance (Branko&Dragan,2021). They always feel the need to attain a certain set standard of physical appearance to evade negative consequences. Advertisements in media tend to depict female personalities with appealing physical appearances which influence how women perceive themselves in terms of appearance.
A pivotal role in perpetuating sexuality stereotypes and reinforcing societal norms on gender roles and identities is depicted in the marketing, presentation, and construction of toys for both girls and boys. Both consumers and producers need to challenge sexuality marketing and strive for a more inclusive and diverse representation in the industry of toys. By providing a wide range of options to children and encouraging them to explore their interests regardless of sexuality, we create a more empowering and inclusive environment where they can thrive.
References
Tissier-Desbordes, E., & Visconti, L. M. (Eds.). (2020). Gender after gender in consumer culture. Routledge.
Examining LGBTQ+ representation in media and advertising. (2023, June 22). Nielsen. https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/examining-lgbtq-representation-in-media-and-advertising/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354731671_FEMALE_BODY_IN_MEDIA_AND_MARKETING
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