PRODUCTION 6: Doing Cultural Studies -From Toys to Video Games to Music Videos
This past week we delved into the work of Karen E. Wohlwend and discussed her article entitled ‘Damsels in Discourse: Girls Consuming and Producing Identity Texts Through Disney Princess Play.’ She makes some extremely valid arguments, but here’s something I read that stuck with me…
“Identity messages circulate through merchandise that surrounds young consumers as they dress in, sleep on, bathe in, eat from, and play with commercial goods decorated with popular culture images, print, and logos, immersing children in products that invite identification with familiar media characters and communicate gendered expectations about what children should buy, how they should play, and who they should be” (Wohlwend, 2009, p.57)
This quote speaks volumes, does it not?! It’s true, toys operate to position gender, frame cultural narratives and anticipate identities and embodied social roles. A recent study conducted by BBC (watch the experiment here: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-40936719/gender-specific-toys-do-you-stereotype-children) states: “the toys children play with have an impact not only on how they see themselves and on what skills they learn, but also on how their brains physically develop. Research studies show that an increasing number of parents say that they try to avoid gender-stereotyped play.”CRAZY! When I was a kid I played with everything and used my imagination more than I used my toys. Anyways, let’s get back on track…Let’s take a deeper look into this, shall we? Now I know we were asked this week to look at a toy or a game… I chose to look at chocolate instead. BUT WAIT! It’s still relevant. Why? Well because it’s not just any chocolate. It’s KINDER SURPRISE! The chocolate we all know and love. The chocolate that comes with a surprise toy for us to build!
Well, recently, Kinder has come out with ‘Boy’ and ‘Girl’ Kinder Eggs. This my friends, never existed when we were kids!
Take a look at this YouTube clip I found…
“Identity messages circulate through merchandise that surrounds young consumers as they dress in, sleep on, bathe in, eat from, and play with commercial goods decorated with popular culture images, print, and logos, immersing children in products that invite identification with familiar media characters and communicate gendered expectations about what children should buy, how they should play, and who they should be” (Wohlwend, 2009, p.57)
This quote speaks volumes, does it not?! It’s true, toys operate to position gender, frame cultural narratives and anticipate identities and embodied social roles. A recent study conducted by BBC (watch the experiment here: http://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-40936719/gender-specific-toys-do-you-stereotype-children) states: “the toys children play with have an impact not only on how they see themselves and on what skills they learn, but also on how their brains physically develop. Research studies show that an increasing number of parents say that they try to avoid gender-stereotyped play.”CRAZY! When I was a kid I played with everything and used my imagination more than I used my toys. Anyways, let’s get back on track…Let’s take a deeper look into this, shall we? Now I know we were asked this week to look at a toy or a game… I chose to look at chocolate instead. BUT WAIT! It’s still relevant. Why? Well because it’s not just any chocolate. It’s KINDER SURPRISE! The chocolate we all know and love. The chocolate that comes with a surprise toy for us to build!
Well, recently, Kinder has come out with ‘Boy’ and ‘Girl’ Kinder Eggs. This my friends, never existed when we were kids!
Take a look at this YouTube clip I found…
In the video, the woman opens up the girl toy first, and then the boy toy. You will notice that the girls kinder egg surprise toy ends up being a bracelet after it is built, and that the boys kinder egg surprise toy ends up being a car/truck.
I think the message here is clear… gender expectations are created through the manufacturing, advertisement and even the aesthetic of toys (in this case, part chocolate) Even the wrapping paper on the kinder eggs are designated ‘pink’ for girls and ‘blue’ for boys.
I think the message here is clear… gender expectations are created through the manufacturing, advertisement and even the aesthetic of toys (in this case, part chocolate) Even the wrapping paper on the kinder eggs are designated ‘pink’ for girls and ‘blue’ for boys.
This is an example of what Wendy Varney talks about in the reading 'Of Men and Machines: Images of Masculinity in Boys' Toys.' She discusses how toys are among the earliest and most influential technologies with which children come into contact. Because of this, children build an idea and take on specific views of gender relations, behaviour, etc. Toys have the power to influence children's own identity. A girl may not reach for the blue Kinder Egg because dominant society says that pink is a girl colour, not blue.