Gender Roles Contiuned

While learning about gender stereotypes,  in our workshop we watched an ad for Rose Petal Cottage, that would have been hilarious, if I didn’t think the ad agency was dead serious with their campaign. It made me think that there must be no women, or even parents working at the advertising agency. The ad looked like it was made by some men who didn’t actually know what kids like. I understand that you have to work with what is given to you, but I’m sure there are other was to sell a playhouse then just berating your audience with “This is for girls!”. The jingle’s incessant chanting “A place of my very own” began to feel like they were saying “know your place”

But then I stopped to think about my own childhood. I had a little play kitchen as a child, and I know for a fact that hasn’t made me want to do any cooking. Perhaps we all are over thinking this- oh god those little girls are playing with a washing machine…. that’s not fun, that’s just chores. That is just too much. Trying to indoctrinate little girls into thinking chores are fun? Boo.

Seeing those little girls wash some laundry, cook, and take care of a baby doll got me thinking that there must be a better way to sell a playhouse without demeaning little girls.

Well, after watching this and discussing it in our small groups, we came to the consensus that there are simple edits that could be done to update this ad and turn it into something more inclusive. Simple things like having more gender neutral colors, and including a boy in the ad would automatically level the playing field for representing gender roles. Having the little boy be just as excited about playing with the baby doll, or doing the laundry is a good step the in right direction.  The company should probably also add other toys that aren’t so domestic, or if they really want to stick with that theme they could easily add toys that would be meant for yard work to get the kids outside of the house.