Moon: Media Analysis

Media Analysis
An underlying theme throughout this Women’s Studies course has been the idea of traditional gender roles and how those are articulated to children. In order to begin a discussion on gender roles, one must distinguish sex from gender. The sex of an individual is defined as the parts that you are born with and gender is described as how you are treated because of it. Gender plays a role in the development of the child’s sense of self. From birth, children are conditioned into thinking that males perform one way and females another. Society presents gender norms in a very rigid form with not much room for mistake. A mindset such as this does not allow a child to express themselves in a unique manner, for fear of stepping outside of the norm. There are a number of culture influences that reinforce the idea of gender roles to children, with the toy industry being one of the largest.
In a discussion concerning gender identity, it is stated that:
Like an individual's concept of his or her sex role, gender identity develops by means of parental example, social reinforcement, and language. Parents teach sex-appropriate behavior to their children from an early age, and this behavior is reinforced as the child grows older and enters a wider social world. As the child acquires language, he also learns very early the distinction between “he” and “she” and understands which pertains to him- or herself. (“Gender Identity”)
In this excerpt they use the term “sex-appropriate behavior” which reinforces the idea that an individual’s sex organs are linked to his or her gender. By using the word “appropriate,” they are illustrating the idea that if you are born a certain sex, you must perform that gender in order to be coined “appropriate.” This concept is the driving force behind structured gender roles and their impact on children. Girls are encouraged to play with dolls and be the “mommy,” whereas boys are given trucks that display their masculinity. If a child does not follow these guidelines, they are seen as different, and therefore aren’t treated the same as “normal” children. These things contribute to the “institutions and individuals [who] work to stabilize sex, to reiterate sexual norms, rather than to encourage/explore gender fluidity” (Sloop 168). All of these aspects stem from the patriarchal society in place today that reinforces heterosexism and strict gender roles.
In a culture that stands behind conformity, and cheers for heterosexism, it is no surprise that major toy companies do the same. TONKA Trucks has been one of the largest producing toy companies since its 1947 debut. Under the “History” section of the website it states that, “The TONKA brand was founded on the premise that a toy should be durable and prove the child with as much play value as possible” (TONKA). Given that premise, it is interesting that TONKA’s slogan is “Built for Boyhood.” Does this mean that Hasbro’s, the company’s manufacturer, true intent for TONKA trucks was that they should be durable and prove the male child with as much play value as possible? If so, what about the female child who grows up wanting to play with TONKA trucks? As stated in an article about Gender and toys, “During the first two years of life, children absorb information about gender-appropriate toys. This starts with the different types of toys bought for boys and girls. Some parental influence on children's toy choices is more subtle” (“gender and toys”). These children are emulating what is put in front of them, and therefore learn only what is socially acceptable.
Further investigation into TONKA’s website gave more evidence of gender conditioning. The TONKA products that are featured on the website include: the TONKA TODDLER, which is “rugged real-styled vehicles packed with truck features and skill-building activities that go with your little trucker from baby to big boy, helping him hit important developmental milestones along the way!” and the TONKA BIG BOY which features “big sturdy wheels and rugged frames these powerful vehicles for bigger boys stand up to the toughest outdoor conditions and perform just like the real thing!” (TONKA). These products promise to help a child “hit important developmental milestones” that cater only to a male. Within the content of the website, commercials and ads, male gender performance is encouraged throughout. These are examples of what Sabrina Petra Ramet refers to as gender culture: “a society’s understanding of what is possible, proper, and perverse in gender-linked behavior” (Ramet 2). American culture sees a little boy playing with a truck as proper and includes him into the binary grounds of gender behavior. This is true evidence of a system setup that limits people’s choices.
The major issue that arises when society relies and reinforces gender binaries is when people step outside of the norm. When there is a little girl who wishes to play with a TONKA truck instead of a doll, she is portrayed as not acting her “true” sex. Feminists among others have actively tried to blur the lines of these binaries by proving that there is no “natural” or “true” sex. Encyclopedia Britannica states, “While it was often assumed that sex was the natural given and gender the cultural definition built upon that natural base, some studies have raised questions about the relation between sex and sexual orientation and, thus, whether there might be more than two genders and whether sex itself may, to a large extent, be culturally constructed” (“Anthropology”). This excerpt highlights a major point that there are other options than just male and female. Gender should not be exclusive to only a set binary.
Living in the year 2008, it is obvious that alternatives exist when concerning sex and gender. Although there is still much to be done, major strides have been made in effort to provide equality among all. However, while browsing through TONKA’s website, I desperately tried to find any indication of improving and broadening their marketing skills. I felt like I would be in luck considering TONKA is celebrating their 60th anniversary. Surely in 60 years, this company has eliminated their one-sidedness in the efforts to include a wide ranged audience. However, to my disappointment, upon entering the 60th anniversary portion of the website the first sentence I read was, “Boys, dirt, and trucks. They're a natural combination” (TONKA). My disappointment grew as I continued reading:
Generations of boys have bumped, crashed and rumbled TONKA trucks through countless acres of muck, and when your dad or your grand-dad looks back on the favorite toy of his boyhood, chances are it had the word TONKA emblazoned across its tailgate. It's been a pretty amazing ride, and here at TONKA we're proud to say that after 60 years of hard-driving play we're still the brand that's built for boyhood. (TONKA)
Sixty years of successful business with no change. In order to even the measures, I browsed to the Barbie website only to be greeted by “Hi, Barbie Girl!” (Barbie). Generations upon generations have been exposed to gender binaries that are accepted as the norm. No one should feel as if there are certain roles to play or rules to follow when making life decisions. A child should be allowed to play with a variety of toys and be allowed to establish their own sense of identity. It is not up to society to place a TONKA truck in the hands of each young boy, and a Barbie doll in the arms of a little girl.

Works Cited

“anthropology.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 23 Apr. 2008
<http://search.eb.com/eb/article-236865>

Barbie. 2008. Mattel. 23 Apr. 2008. http://barbie.everythinggirl.com/

“gender identity.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 23 Apr. 2008
<http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9036351>.

“toy.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 23 Apr. 2008
<http://search.eb.com/eb/article-274906>

Ramet, Sabrina Petra. “Gender Reversals and Gender Cultures: An Introduction.” Gender Reversals and
Gender Cultures: An thropological and Historical Perspectives. Ed. Sabrina Petra Ramet. New York; Routledge. 1-21.

Tonka. 2008. Hasbro. 23Apr. 2008. http://www.hasbro.com/tonka/