Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A Reply from the Early Learning Centre regarding their sexist marketing

Late last night, I blogged this in outrage at the Early Learning Centre's appallingly sexist marketing of their dressing up outfits.

I wrote to them saying that I was horrified that they were marketing nurse outfits directed at girls and doctor outfits directed at boys. I think that limiting the ambitions of kids who are barely out of nappies is unacceptable and not appropriate for the 21st century.

Nor is it really appropriate to push girls to the passive and sparkly, leaving all the action of the pirate, superhero and cowboy to the boys.

My experience of providing a wide range of dressing up outfits is that both genders will wear just about anything. Both girls and boys will get in there with the cloppy shoes and the tutus as much as the Batman outfit or whatever. Each child is individual and what they like should be up to them. They should not be enslaved by the Early Learning Centre's narrow gender stereotyping.

Anyway, I had a reply saying:


Dear Ms Lindsay,

Thank you for your recent email.
It's not our intention to promote stereotyping or sexism, especially to young, possibly impressionable children so I can only apologise that you feel this had been the case. Please be assured that you comments will be passed onto the head office for their consideration.
I have replied saying that I'd like a further reply when this has been discussed at Head Office and I would be happy to discsuss this with them in person.
We shall see...........


1 comment:

Charlie Marlow said...

Totally agree. It's crazy how the whole industry is geared up around gender stereotypes. It's almost like they're trying to mould kids into said stereotypes, rather than giving them the choice and letting them just be themselves. It's the 21st century for god's sake! They can be anything they want to be.

I hope the ELC get back to you and sort it out!

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