1981 Lego ad

I've seen the entire thing before, when it first aired on TV.

Again, the study they did, while interesting, was not conclusive.

However, it is a fact that hormones influence behavior and brain development. As such, I do admit that there are innate preferences for activity in individuals, and that statistically some preferences are more common in girls and other preferences more common in boys. The main issue is that while statistically they are divided, humans are all individuals. These preferences however are being reinforced at extreme levels, turning them from preference (meaning they like them slightly more) to mandatory, at the same time as it doesn't account for the fact that individual variation occurs. In fact, not only does it occur but there have been very detailed studies that most brains are a healthy mix of statistically male and statistically female features.

Then there is the fact that these studies only focus on one aspect of "gendered toys", in particular systematic vs. empathic. This is not the only way toys are divided, far from it. The toy world has become entirely binary, and it is absurd. Everyone would benefit from playing with a range of toys regardless of gender or even preference (because preference really only means they like it better, not they don't like the other at all.)

The point that toys should not be gender divided still stands. If there was such a clear preference there'd be no need for excessive gender-marking, and at the end of the day it's still an individual matter what toys children prefer. It would be ranges better to just have toys be neutrally marketed and then find out what the child enjoys - as an individual, not based on their gender.

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