France is hoping that toy manufacturers and retailers will adopt new protocols for ‘desegregating’ toys, in an effort to protect young boys and girls from gender stereotypes. Just in time to celebrate gender neutral Christmas?
Two senior French officials, Adrien Taquet, the secretary of state for child protection, and Agnes Pannier-Runacher, secretary of state for economy and finance, have unveiled a ‘charter of voluntarily commitments’ aimed at putting an end to gendered toys and all the pain and suffering that they bring.
The charter calls on manufacturers, distributors, and advertisers to do away with color schemes, labeling, and shelving arrangements which might keep children from enjoying toys of all varieties. According to local reports, sellers will even be instructed to inquire about the age of a child, not his or her gender, when helping a customer find an appropriate toy.
Authorities claim that the initiative is necessary because science-themed toys are marketed for boys, while girls are encouraged to play with trinkets which mimic domestic life.
The result of this grave injustice is that little girls interested in pursuing careers in science are being “excluded,” Pannier-Runacher told French media.
For now, the charter appears to be completely voluntary – but toy manufacturers have already signaled that they’re ready and willing to hop on the ‘woke train’. Earlier in September, Hasbro announced a new iteration of its classic board game Monopoly, in which women would receive more money than men when passing ‘Go’. The company said the new rule “creates a world where women have an advantage often enjoyed by men.”