At birth, a child is assigned a sex identity- male or female. Sex identity is a biological concept and is related purely to one’s physiology. Gender, as seen in today’s world, is a much more fluid and personal concept. A gander identity is one’s own personal experience and expression influenced by multiple internal as well as external factors.
When society attaches gender identity to objects and activities, it is basically monetizing on boxing identity expression into the binary, that is, girl or boy. Pink, dolls, kitchen sets are all products for girls; trucks, cars, fighting games, blue are made for boys. This futile and immature labeling does more harm than good. The early experiences of children play a huge role in their conditioning and determining their life experiences. Focusing the toys for girls leads them thinking that the kitchen is their territory, and a car is a boy’s. Similarly, it leads boys into thinking the kitchen is for girls, they only must play around.
If we go further ahead, certain traits are attached to boys and girls. Boys cannot cry, they cannot cook, they cannot relax. These notions are a big part of toxic masculinity and is benefitting for nothing other than patriarchy. This starts from the earliest ages of children when gender roles are imposed upon their daily plays. This very thinking hinders the women from going into the so- called man dominated professions such as engineering.
Hence, toys should absolutely be gender neutral, because their very role is to entertain and provide stimulation for the child’s mind.