There’s been plenty of noise made lately over the colouring of toys. How, traditionally, toys and activities aimed at girls are pink, and those aimed at boys are blue. How dolls are pictured being played with by girls in pretty pink dresses complete with lace and bows. How cars are pictured being played with by boys in t-shirts and jeans.
As a result, several retailers have decided (finally, and sensibly) to categorise toys by type, not gender. More manufacturers are creating gender neutral toys in a range of colours, not just the pink and blue palettes.
Well, I finally have something I want to say on the situation.
I couldn’t give a fig what colour my daughter’s toys are.
Seriously. Not one fig is given.
She has a pink table and chairs, a green and yellow Happyland set, a brown pirate ship, a red football and a red/blue/green/yellow set of Megablocks. She has a yellow and green bedroom. She has a pink pram for her dolls. She has Disney Princess puzzles and jungle ones. She has a pink monster onesie and a grey knight outfit.
If she is lucky enough to be able to choose a toy, I don’t care what colour it is. If she is fortunate enough to be given a gift, I couldn’t give two hoots what colour it is, or who is on the packaging for it.
The only thing I really give two bits about in terms of my daughter playing with toys is this: Is anyone going to die? Does this toy promote killing people or things? As long as the answer to both of those is ‘no’, I’m a happy camper. And so is she.
So if my daughter appears one day pushing a pink baby in a pink pram whilst wearing pink shoes and a pink coat, please don’t be scared. It’s because she actually wants to. Equally, if she happens to be wearing jeans, a Star Wars t-shirt and is playing football with a blue ball, please don’t fear that I’m pushing her one way or another. She’s a free thinker and chooses her toys herself, for the most part.
It’s just a colour.