9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [music] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: This video essay will examine the[br]effects of television toy commercials on 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our society's perception of gender [br]appropriate toys. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 At a young age, society tells us that we fit[br]in to one of two categories: boy or girl. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Playing with children's toys is one of the[br]ways in which we learn our gender roles. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Media, specifically toy television[br]commercials, help relay the message 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to society that there are specific toys[br]for each gender. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Before we begin, let's take a look at [br]how and why gender is constructed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 By the age of 10, children have formed an[br]understanding of the personality traits 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that belong to each gender. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Many people believe that gender [br]construction is a blend of nature 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and nurture. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It takes effort to process a lot of[br]information. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To reduce this effort, our minds [br]stereotype and categorize information 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 into smaller units. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Therefore, categorizing things as being[br]male or female makes it easier for 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 us to process information. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Once they understand the basic concepts[br]of gender, children remain very rigid 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in their ideas of gendered behaviors,[br]occupations, and toys. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Studies have found that male characters[br]tend to dominate children's commercials. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Thunderbirds are go! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've located the distress call. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We must get there fast! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Many of them have also found that[br]gender portrayals in advertising are often 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 negatively stereotyped in ways that are[br]restrictive and demeaning. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Baby Alive! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My baby's first cold! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Let's use the bear thermometer. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Good girl! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I can give you medicine, and change[br]your wet diaper. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You're better now, baby! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Segregating toys in this way can [br]be detrimental to children who are 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 still forming their identities. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Other studies have found that female[br]toys often encourage girls to focus 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on their looks, whereas male toys [br]encourage power and strength. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: A glitter blowdrier? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's so Barbie! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [music] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: The Transformers war is here! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And both sides can change from vehicle to [br]blaster in an instant. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Finally, commercials featuring[br]females are usually for dolls and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 accessories, whereas commercials featuring[br]males are often for building toys and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 action figures. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: It's a great big jet! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [music] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Want something your way? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You build it! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Introducing U-Build Battleship. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Boys are encouraged to play[br]with cars, trucks, building toys, and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 science toys. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Generally the toys promote strength[br]and power. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: One system, you can build[br]up and customize your heavy-duty 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 truck with tons of parts and drop the[br]motor into any mod machine. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Tonka Mod Machines. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Each sold separately. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's Tonka tough. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Girls are encouraged to play[br]with toys such as kitchen sets, and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 dolls that promote domestic and [br]nurturing behavior. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Only you can help shy [br]little Furberries come out and play! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: It's the cake bakery! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The easy way to make designer cakes! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Bake your cake in the microwave in[br]30 seconds! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Let's take a look at some[br]older toy commercials to see how 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this all began. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Historically, toy commercials have been[br]much more rigid in depicting what type of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 toys boys and girls should play with. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here are some older commercials for [br]boys toys. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Notice the absence of a female model[br]or voiceover. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The nature of the toys being advertised, [br]and the qualities they are suggesting 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 boys should have. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: This opens up the wild action[br]world of Port Apache. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 With Indians, Cavalrymen, shell shooting[br]cannons. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: The most action you can[br]get, from Matel. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Now let's take a look at some[br]girl commercials from the past. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Notice how they promote appearance, [br]and domesticity. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Yes, with Susie Homemaker[br]you can entertain, wash dishes, clean 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 house, launder, iron, bake all this, and [br]always look lovely. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: She keeps herself pretty by[br]using Sugar Plum. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Luckily, there have been many [br]positive changes in toy commercials 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the past 50 years or so. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Recently, there have been more depictions [br]of boys and girls playing with toys that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are typically more geared toward the [br]other gender. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: So much fun, you'll want to[br]squeal, Little Live Pets, little mice. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: There are also more depictions [br]of boys and girls playing with toys 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 together to indicate that the toy is[br]gender neutral. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Expressive, and unexpected. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Stewart is up, down, tumbling all[br]around. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Some commercials have even[br]resorted to not using a model at all. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And instead using hands to indicate that[br]a toy is gender neutral. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: Build the shuttle. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Place the new satellite. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And prepare for liftoff. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Still not convinced that toy[br]commercials have an impact on 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 society's perception of gender [br]appropriate toys? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Studies have indicated that children may[br]view more than 40,000 advertisements 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a year. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That means that they are potentially[br]watching tens of thousands of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 gendered advertisements. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There's research that indicates that[br]advertisements do indeed affect 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 children's attitudes toward the [br]brand. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 According to the American Psychological[br]Association, 50% of children remember 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a toy advertisement a week after seeing[br]it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Furthermore, it is thought that children[br]may focus more on the advertisements 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 than on the television show itself. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So why should we be concerned? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Aside from the fact that it is dangerous[br]to restrict children to one rigid 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 identity, research has also speculated [br]that toy gendering could affect men 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and women's aptitudes and skills for [br]different professions as adults. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The toys that boys play with encourage [br]a freedom of imagination, and teach 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 spatial skills that are often necessary[br]for scientific careers. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 On the other hand, girl toys focus more on[br]nurturing skills, domestic skills, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and appearance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Many theorize that this is one reason why[br]there are more men in scientific fields 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 than women. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 While there has been some progress with[br]degendering television toy commercials, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we still have a long way to go. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercials continue to be gender[br]restrictive. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The gendering is simply done in a more[br]modern way, giving the illusion that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 things have changed when they really[br]haven't. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Take a look at these two Barbie [br]commercials, for example. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The first is from 1959, and the second[br]is from 2015. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: [music] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Commercial: It's for you Moschino Barbie! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Moschino Barbie doll, fabulosity totally [br]included. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Speaker: Some may think that having a boy[br]in a Barbie commercial is progress. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 However, his mannerisms are still very[br]feminine by our society's standards, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 indicating that Barbie's are indeed [br]feminine toys. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In this way, it's not much better than the[br]Barbie commercial from the '50s. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We must keep in mind that the [br]advertisements are not entirely at 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 fault, because gender is constructed by[br]our society. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Advertisements simply perpetuate gender[br]stereotypes by attempting to appeal to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 consumers socially influenced desires. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In other words, society creates gender [br]stereotypes and advertisements 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 perpetuate them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In order to make a change, we must figure[br]out why we haven't made more progress. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Is it society that is resisting? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Or are the toy companies? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Or is it both? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Whatever the cause, we must not[br]be discouraged. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Things are improving slowly, but there's[br]still much work to be done. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [music]