What is the impact of gender on design practice?

Gender identity and stereotypes are very much embedded in design. One of the biggest areas impacted by gender in design, is the toy industry. Gender is a socially constructed idea of how men and women should act, and this is nurtured into children as they grow up through parent’s, education and the socially accepted norms in society. “Because identity construction is continuous and in constant state of renegotiation, as power relations change so will the ways in which masculinities and femininities are constructed” (Paechter, Carrie F, 2007) this is true in normal society as there have been large shifts in gender stereotypes, with the emergence and growth of women in business (Figure 1) and athletes like Ronda Rousey (UFC fighter) (figure 2), who are closing the gender gaps, but this is a much slower process in design. 

Figure 1 Women in business: Merrill Lynch

Figure 2 Ronda Rousey: UFC

In conventional gender stereotypes and roles, we see that men are supposed to be the protective more aggressive masculine provider in a family and this lead to trends in toys for boys being either building sets, cars, and toy guns. Women, on the other hand were meant to be more caring, emotional and maternal, this lead to girl’s toys like cooking sets, and baby’s, furthermore these stereotypes are re-enforced with colour. We see most male toys, coloured blue, red (considered to be masculine colours) and yellow (associated with construction vehicles (figure 3). Where we see female toys, the colours tend to be pink and purple (figure 4). This design style is very much tried and tested, and is very hard to break as these stereotypes are so embedded into the norms it’s an easy way to establish and tap into these target markets. As much as attitudes are changing, we still see companies like Toys R us still selling toys based on these ageing stereotypes.

Figure 3, 2 in 1 Medieval Battle Castle: Toys R Us

Figure 4 Room full of fun play-set: Toys R Us

With companies like “Let Toys Be Toys” there is a big push for toys companies to start making gender neutral toys. Their research in 2016 looked at 6 major toy retailers and found:

·        “Only 11% of children playing with cars or other vehicles were girls, and those girls were almost always shown with pink versions of toys.”

·        “97% of children playing with guns/weapons and war toys were boys.”

“The toy chain Toy Planet has presented its Christmas catalogue , which since 2014 has been betting on leaving behind stereotypes in children's toys” (Verne 2016) This is an example of a company which is pushing to remove the gender stereotypes in toys. With companies like this succeeding and the new generation of designers growing up in ever more relaxing gender guidelines and norms it is likely that the shift will continue to grow.

The evidence presented in this assignment has shown that there is a clear impact on gender in design. To change this in the toy industry the advertisement of toys must change, this is where the main, stereotypes are portrayed. When products can be advertised with both male and females despite the colour the type of toy, is when we can see the impact of gender in this industry trolley diminish (figure 5 & 6).   

Figure 6 Boy & girl castle set: Verne 

Figure 5 Girl fire fighter: Verne

Image list

Figure 1…… Women in business: Merrill Lynch

Figure 2…… Ronda Rousey: UFC

Figure 3…… 2 in 1 Medieval Battle Castle: ToysRus

Figure 4…… Room full of fun playset: ToysRus

Figure 5…… Girl fire fighter: Verne

Figure 6…… Boy & girl castle set: Verne

Bibliography

ATTFIELD, J (2000) Wild things: The material culture of everyday life. Oxford: Berg.

DALY, N. (2017) Gender Revolution: How todays toys might be Harming your daughter. [Online] National Geographic.  Available from:  (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/01/gender-toys-departments-piece/ [Accessed from: 04/03/2017]

HANCOCK, JR. (2016) The catalogue of toys that rejected the gender roles is now visible down syndrome. Verne, 5^th Nov. Available from: http://verne.elpais.com/verne/2016/11/04/articulo/1478246610_664796.html [Accessed 0403/2017].

LET TOYS BE TOYS (2016) Stereotypes rule in toy catalogues – research findings. [weblog] Let toys be toys. 16^th December. Available from: http://lettoysbetoys.org.uk/stereotypes-rule-in-toy-catalogues-research-findings/#more-6843 [Accessed 04/03/2017]

MERRILL LYNCH (2015) Women in business. [Online Image] Available from: https://www.ml.com/articles/women-power.html  [Accessed 03/03/2017]

MTV BRALESS. (2014) Are there boy toys & girl toys? [Online Film] Available From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjN6sHeyEPc [Accessed 04/03/2017

OKSMAN, O. (2016) Are gendered toys harming the development of children. The Guardian, 28^th may. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/28/toys-kids-girls-boys-childhood-development-gender-research [Accessed 04/03/2017]

PAECHER, CARRIE F (2007) Being boys, being girls: Learning Masculinities and Felinities. Open University Press: Maidenhead.

TOYSRUS (2017) Graco Room Full of fun Playset. [Online Image] Available From: http://www.toysrus.co.uk/toys/graco-room-full-of-fun-playset/TRUP7924350001 [Accessed 03/03/2017]

TOYSRUS (2017) universe of imagination 2 in 1 medieval Battle Castle. [Online Image] Available from: http://www.toysrus.co.uk/toys/universe-of-imagination-2-in-1-medieval-battle-castle/TRUP721790001 [ Accessed 04/03/2017]

UFC. (2015) Ronda Rousey. [Online image] Available from:  http://www.ufc.com/fighter/Ronda-Rousey?id= [Accessed 05/03/2017] 

VERNE. (2016) Girl fire fighter. [online image] Available from: http://verne.elpais.com/verne/2016/11/04/articulo/1478246610_664796.html [Accessed 04/03/2017]

VERNE. (2016) Boy & Girl castle set. [Online image] Available from: http://verne.elpais.com/verne/2016/11/04/articulo/1478246610_664796.html [Accessed 04/03/2017]