Target has really been getting with the program lately. After being criticized for enforcing gender stereotypes by dividing part of their toy section into boys toys and girls toys, the company changed its layout and now has organized all the toys by theme without attributing gender, reported HelloGiggles. "As guests have pointed out, in some departments like toys, home or entertainment, suggesting products by gender is unnecessary. We heard you, and we agree. Right now, our teams are working across the store to identify areas where we can phase out gender-based signage to help strike a better balance," said Target in a statement on its website.
In another move that has garnered lots of support online, Target has added the Pillowfort line of children's bed linens to its stores' collections, and what makes it special is that the line is designed to be completely gender-neutral. The collection has different themes - like space, treehouse, underwater, desert mirage, dinosaurs and fields with flowers - which are not directed at either gender.
It's a complete overhaul to Target's children's bedding line. Pillowfort will be completely replacing the old pink/blue setup. For girls, "it was an aisle of pink, fairy princesses, ponies and flowers. And for the boys it was rockets and dinosaurs. Well, you know what? Girls like rockets and basketball. And boys like ponies. Who are we to say what a child's individual expression is? We really wanted to develop a collection that would be universal," said Julie Guggemos, Target's senior VP of design and product development, reported the Star Tribune.
This move matters because children don't conform to stereotypes unless we push the norms onto them and then enforce them. It's also important because it accommodates children with a gender identity that doesn't conform to their biological sex.
Little Riley went viral in 2011 when she took down gender norms and toy marketing. Watch the video below, uploaded by CNN, if any of this gender stuff confuses you:
