Tell a six-year-old boy that he’s not allowed to play with the toy car sitting in front of him because it’s a girls’ toy is bound to result in some confusion and pouting. So why has society been telling this to little girls for so long?
Labeling certain toys as okay for one gender to play with and not the other is not only reinforcing gender stereotypes, it’s robbing kids of creativity. That’s something that’s changing more and more though, through programs that encourage a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The United States will need 1.7 million new engineers and computer scientists in the next decade to stay competitive and more women will be moving into the field than ever before — and that’s a good thing.
There could be a young girl out there who down the road might fix climate change or develop a way to live on Mars. Stifling a a child’s creativity is not only robbing them, but robbing society of what they might achieve. Encouraging a child to play with any type of toy regardless if it’s pink or camouflage, increases a child’s chances of finding their passion. And a generation of kids whose imagination was allowed to go in any direction it pleased is bound to do some truly incredible things.