Let Toys Be Toys

Overview

Started on Mumsnet Nov / Dec 2012

14 retailers have now changed or promised to

change signage and organisation of toys

Launched ‘Let Books be Books’ petition on World

Book Day 2014

Launched ‘Toymark Good Practice Award’

Launched schools resources Sept 2014 to tackle

gender stereotyping in primary schools

Context

•Massive rise in gendered marketing

•Social acceptance of 'Men are from Mars, Women

are from Venus' guff

•Media love a stereotypes story

•Rise of new feminist movements (NMP3, Everyday

sexism)

•Voices speaking out against 'neurosexism'

•Rising awareness of harm to girls (Pinkstinks)

•No-one's really talking about boys

Possible targets

•Shoppers – but no-one likes to be lectured

•Manufacturers – huge, hard to influence, slow to

change

•Politicians – risky!

•Retailers – visible, accessible, influential

•Publishers – visible, accessible, influential

lAims and objectives

l“The Let Toys Be Toys campaign is asking the toy and publishing industries to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys and books as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.”Underlying aim is challenging stereotypesObjective – get signs removed from shopsObjective – get labels removed from books

lSupporters

lListen to them

lProvide ways they can

contribute

lGive them tools and

ammunition they can use

lNeutral

l“The Let Toys Be Toys campaign is asking the toy and publishing industries to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys and books as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.”

lThink about barrierslFocus on limitations, harm to childrenlFocus on manipulation and exploitation

lHostile

lReiterate key messages

lBe ready to neutralise

lDon't leave open goals

lDon't just assume they're

stupid because 'they don't

get it'

lDon't let them make you

look po-faced

lRetailers

lPolite, professional tone

lEngage and listen

lBe willing to assume good

faith

lBe firm

Stereotypes are harmful

•Kids should decide for themselves what they

think is fun. Toys are for fun, for learning, for

stoking imagination and encouraging creativity

•Play matters: Children need a wide range of play

to develop different skills

•Marketing matters: restricting buying choices

and reinforcing gender rules

•Stereotypes matter: limiting job expectations,

affecting self-image and self-esteem

Proposed solution

•If retailers drop boys and girls labels on toys and

books children will feel more free to choose their

interests, and shoppers will be encouraged to buy

outside narrow boy/girl categories.

Mechanisms

•Petitions (change.org – 12k signatures)

•Facebook (13k Page likes)

•Twitter (12k followers)

•Website

•Media coverage

•What don't we do? And why?

Evaluation

•What does success look like?

•Comms outcomes are useful to measure but...

•Think about how you can measure IMPACT

l14 retailers changed policies

l60% reduction in boy/girl shop signage

lWorking on websites research

lShift in the tone of the debate

Change in stores

Questions?

•lettoysbetoys.org.uk

•lettoysbetoys@gmail.com

•@LetToysBeToys

•Facebook.com/lettoysbetoys

•Jess Day @day_jess