Check out McDonald’s new Happy Meal box which I read about on Phd in parenting. It features Mattel’s Barbie I Can Be with 4 different Barbie variations in doctor/veterinarian, school teacher, model and globe-trotter.
These career Barbies are so stupid. The last thing you notice from the picture is what profession they are supposedly involved in, especially if you’re an illiterate kid. What you do see is flowing blonde hair, blue eyes, and a skinny body. If you want to teach kids to DO something, give them a toy that does stuff. I recently listened to a panel of women architects talk about the newly released Architect Barbie. Those professionals didn’t like the doll, telling the audience that if they want their kids to grow up to be architects buy them blocks and Legos. So much for Legos which has recently soared to new heights with its sexist marketing, but blocks are still a good option.
What do you get if you’re a boy with your Happy Meal? Oh, Hot Wheels.
“Get ready for the release of January’s McDonald’s Happy Meal toys sets one geared to little boys and one for little girls. Team Hot Wheels set has 8 different types of vehicles from mini monster wheels to race cars.”
This makes me so sad about my two-year old daughter who loves cars right now. But I know, very soon, with all this marketing
, she’ll start to go for the Barbies if I’m not super counteractive with this relentless gender marketing. UGH. One more reason not to go to McDonalds. Wow, so much money money and effort by huge companies doing their best to stereotype little kids.
