Report on Representations of Children in the Argos

Catalogue (Autumn/Winter 2009)

by Jo Wheway

Subsection Girls Boys Majority Gender Featured Toys

Large dolls and accessories/Dolls

29 0 F Babies prams

Girls toys (alternated with pages with Dolls)

8 0 F Dolls, pushchairs, Dolls’ house, Soft toys 19 1 F animals

Miniature collectibles 8 0 F Animals, “race to the mall”

Barbie 2 0 F

Disney princesses 7 0 F

Moxie art 2 0 F tattoos, dye

High School Musical 4 0 F Body art, make up

Girls’ electronics 7 0 F Dancing

Activities 12 0 F Face masks spa perfume

Art and craft 8+ 26 1 F Fashion, jewellery

Sections with a large majority of girls.

Subsection Girls Boys Majority Gender Featured Toys

Construction 0 1 M

Chad valley/vehicles

2 28 M Dinosaurs, cars

Action figures 0 29 M superheroes, soldiers

Action play 0 8 M dart blasters

Science 1 4 M

Games 9 18 M board family fun

Outdoor Toys 63 82 M F swing/ M sport

Sections with a large majority of boys.

• 63 girls and 83 boys• Boys outnumber girls most heavily on

“trampolines” and “ride-ons”• Girls outnumber boys - “swings” and

“playhouses”.• In the playhouse section – girls pictures

inside domestic homes and cottages; boys pictured in canvas, vehicles and or dens.

Outdoor Toys

• 25 girls and 10 boys

• 70% boys pictured in pretend situations outdoors compared with 28% of girls.

• 2/3 girls are performing domestic tasks

• The boys’ domestic jobs: fixing with tools, watering plants, pouring tea and barbecuing.

Pretend Play

• 15/15 of boys’ costumes active roles compared to 2/7 girls’ costumes.

• 6/7 girls’ costumes are display roles.

• Most boys posed with hands on hips or ready to

fight. Most girls holding out skirt.

Dressing-up Clothes

“Run and jump keeping fit with this Sportacus play suit with muscle chest, hat, armbands and goggles.”

“Includes pink striped dress, pink wig, headband, pink tights and leg warmers, 4 bracelets and a pink shoulder bag.”

Conclusions

Toys sections are segregated. Girls are not shown outside as much as boys. Toys targeting girls promote interests in beauty,

fashion, motherhood and domesticity. Toys targeting boys usually promote activity.

In response we took one Disney Princess Hama Bead set…

…and made beautiful Hama bead creations showing some alternative role models and interests.