12.11.2009

Pink Board Games? Really? Genderfication Much?

Okay...so this post will be a bit rant-ish.

You've been warned.
P.S.  If you are new to my blog...know that these posts are rare, but sometimes a girl just has to rant!  LOL!



Have you seen this new trend?  PINK board games.  Really?  Are they kidding?  So, let's just say I thought that was pretty stupid the minute I saw the big add in the Toys R Us 'wish book' flyer.

Why do I think it's dumb?  Well......let's see here...first let's look at a couple of the games available in the 'new and improved PINK.'

You see Monopoly above....and Scrabble and Life below.



 
Note:  These are not new games.  They are actually classic games that kids have been playing for years and years!  They are games that are enjoyed by the family, and....here it is folks...games that are enjoyed by girls, boys, men, women, and perhaps even the occasional chimp.

SOOOOO.....why are they all of the sudden being marketed in PINK?

Well, that would be, according to the advertising, anyway, because that makes them even BETTER for GIRLS!

STOP.  RIGHT.  THERE.

So, what you are telling me, dear advertising folks, is that a.) girls will only play board games that are in a color that they are told they should like by society.  b.)  boys won't want to play pink board games because they are 'girly.'

Problems.  Lots.

So....what if a little girl is out shopping with her parents and they offer to purchase her one of these fabulously 'girly' games and she says, "No, thanks...HEY!  Check out this cool Transformer!  It turns into a 6.2 liter V8 Camaro with 426 hp and 420 foot pounds of torque!!!  Can I get THAT???

Hmmm....what then?
I can tell you what I would do.  I'd continue to go over the specs of that fun little car with her and we'd walk out with the Transformer leaving the pink games in the dust!  (Well...it does 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, what can I say?)

And then there is THIS scenario:
A son is out shopping with his Dad and they walk by a big display of PINK games.  The kid has been wanting Monopoly for awhile and he kind of likes this shiny new version.  Actually....he likes pink in general - so he asks Dad for that version of the game.
What will the average man do in response to this.
I don't think I need to spell it out here.  It's not a good reaction.  And yes, I am aware that not all men would be opposed.  I am actually married to a man who would be happy to purchase that pink version (assuming the price was the same as the traditional) if that is what his son really wanted.

So.  That leaves me with WHY????  Why are they, now, in 2010 (well...almost, anyway) putting out this toys with such BLATANT Genderfication goals.

I hate it.  It's stupid and it makes me mad.
It makes me rant.
Just say'n.

OH...and then there is this one.


For real?  What is this? Tell me exactly WHOSE spirit you would be calling with a freaking PINK Ouija board.
Unless you are trying to call up Elton John or perhaps Elizabeth Taylor (whom, btw, are both still alive) you are out of luck, folks.
Ri.dic.u.lous.

There.  I got my rant out.  Feel free to leave your opinion, but do it kindly and respectfully.
Yes, I am against genderfication.  I don't like it.
Just say'n.

But, let's face it.  These are classic games that are already in every household.  I guess they had to do SOMETHING to get people to buy it AGAIN.
It's all about the money.
And if we happen to teach our children that all girls are pink and all boys are blue in the process...no harm done.
*Please note the dripping sarcasm here.*

17 comments:

  1. I have nothing to say except: AGREED.

    (Okay, I lied.)

    Any social issues that our country (and world) has excepting people who go outside their prescribed "gender roles" are in no way helped by this genderfication of toys. That makes me nauseous. Thanks for posting though- I think everyone should be aware of the fact that this IS a problem. I bet a lot of people don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this, but you explained it very well. Thanks for spreading the word!

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  2. Ok I am such a flake...after reading this the only thing I can think of is how I want to add them to my list of things I want! LOL!

    Of course I am mom to 3 girls and it would work for family game night.

    Manga Dork was a combo girlie girl/tomboy...she did dressup AND has collected Pokemon since she was 3! She has had birthday parties that run from Star Wars to Barbie! I love it! I was the same way.

    Wild Child is a little farmgirl who loves animals and dirt and adventure!

    Cutie is a girlie girl all the way...give her some pink and lipgloss and she is good to go!

    I think the games are cute! I think it would be weird if they made only pink and blue and the kids had to choose between the 2 of those.

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  3. OMG your killing me. But once again your are so aright!!

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  4. You go girl!!!I know at work tons of our stuff went pink but a certain amount of money is going for Breast cancer....and I am sure this is not the case here.
    hugs
    Brenda

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  5. I guess I just choose to see things differently. I see it as children (not just girls) who like pink now have a choice.

    For the record I have yet to meet a parent who refused to buy their daughter a transformer or their son a My Little Pony (mine has several). Maybe it's just that here in the Northwest we are less concerned about those things? In fact my son loves to run around town in his fairy wings and no one even blinks an eye.

    On the other hand I do know quite a few teenage girls who used to love pink things that no longer do because they have had it forced down their throats that it's not cool. I hope mothers of little girls don't make a big deal out of NOT getting this for their little girl JUST because it's pink. I would hate to think of a little girl feeling like their is something wrong if she DOES really like the color pink. So really it all goes both ways.

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  6. that is HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! especially the ouija board! hahaha
    too funny
    happy friday!
    B

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  7. I would love them all in lime green. My 9 year old daughter wants a Barbie Dream House and a Hot Wheels Race Track for Christmas. She's getting both. I love being her mom. She is such a cool kid. Her best guy friend's favorite color is Pink. He'd love these pink games. My kids are certainly NOT falling for these marketing stereotypes. YAY for my girls!!!!!

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  8. Wow, gotta love the Pepto Bismal marketing. I enjoyed reading your rant and so agree with you.

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  9. nearly got a pink overload headache. just so teasing. LOL.

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  10. Ok, genderfication is a fine term for gender-specific toys.

    I'm wondering if there will be pink transformers. I'll bet if someone proved there's a market for them, there would be.

    My "favorite" is the pink toolbox and tools for women. Cuz "real" tools are too masculine for me to purchase...or something.

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  11. Ok.. well I was going to say something like maybe it is for breast cancer cause normally anything you buy that is Pink is to support finding a cure.. But before I opened my big mouth I researched it a little more and there is no sign of supporting the cure. and it says "Just for girls" on the box. So i totally agree.. that is rediculous..

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  12. That is pretty funny! I guess if you had a houseful of girls, and they liked pink, it might be nice. If they're doing it so people can "choose their color" then why only pink? Why not lime green?

    My gut says that they're trying to get people to buy them THINKING they're for breast cancer when they're not. Maybe? Far fetched? I'm an oncology nurse and most of the breast cancer ladies get on the "pink bandwagon" and pink becomes their new favorite color. They wear pink, they buy pink, no matter if it's for breast cancer of not. I can see these ladies buying these games for every little girl they know.

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  13. That is pretty stupid, especially the Ouija board. My husband commented the other day when we were at Toys R Us how ridiculous it was that the entire girls section was pink. So sad...

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  14. I already can't get Jim to play boardgames very often. This would be just one more excuse...He would say, "See, they really are just for girls." Plus, just because I'm a girl does not mean that I like pink. I'm actually more a fan of the color green.

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