Posts by Dr. Monica Brasted:
Care Bears vs. Transformers: Gender Stereotypes in Advertisements
February 17th, 2010While traveling recently, I stopped at a fast food restaurant with my 6-year-old daughter. When we sat down at the table to eat, she disappointedly pulled a pink care bear out of her cheeseburger meal. When I asked her what was wrong she asked why the woman had given her a care bear when she wanted a transformer. She went on to explain to me that she liked boy’s toys because she was a tom boy. Why did the fast food worker assume that my daughter wanted the care bear? Why is the transformer considered a boy toy? Why does my daughter label herself a tomboy? The answer is gender stereotypes. But where are these stereotypes learned? Research indicates that the media, particularly advertising, has played a role in the perpetuation of gender stereotypes in our culture. Of particular interest and concern are the gender portrayals found in advertisements targeting children. Read the rest of this entry “
