Barbie Liberation

I think that there are a lot of examples of groups with the intent, or who publicize their intent, to “disrupt toys’ gender stereotypes,” but, like Piper, I just don’t think that the motions they’re going through are adequate.  The Barbie Liberation Organization provides a really interesting critique of gender roles in that they (physically) switch them. But, I also agree with Piper that the actions of the Organization aren’t a good way to check the really harmful characteristics of those roles, and how they are presented to kids. I don't actually think that the group is advocating for gender neutral toys or, given my impression of their analysis of the "movement," much questioning of the sentiments that the dolls are saying, just that people of different genders can say them. The Organization perpetuates the capitalist military industrial complex, something that is really harmful to feminism as a movement and as a force to protect people.

I think that there is a need for gender neutral toys and advertising. I also think that there's a need for toys (and their advertising) to allow for a lot of different gender expressions. The Barbie Liberation Organization isn’t the only one who’s doing this. A while back, a Swedish affiliate of Toys-R-US was also lauded for "gender neutrality," but what they really did was put guns in the hands of kids they wanted viewers to gender as girls and put dolls in the hands of kids they wanted viewers to gender as boys. BAM! Gender neutrality! But, in order for the catalog to even come close to “gender neutrality,” the viewer is put into the position of gendering the kids in the ads. (Guess what isn’t gender neutral?)

Here's a link to an article about the Swedish catalog in question: http://stream.wsj.com/story/corporate-intelligence/SS-2-60962/SS-2-111440/