Young girls 'being sexualised' by toy adverts

A report on gender issues in the sale of children's toys has found that girls are being sexualised at an increasingly young age; rivalry between boys and girls is being encouraged; and traditional definitions of boys and girls are constantly being reinforced.

An Introduction to General Equality Issues in the Marketing and Design of Goods for Childrenwas commissioned by the Equality Authority. One of its authors, Prof Maryann Valiulis of the Centre for Gender and Women's studies in Trinity College Dublin, said the message being given to children was clear.

"Boys are adventurous. Boys are independent. Boys are active," she said. "And for girls, they play with tea trolleys. The number of tea trolleys that appear in catalogues is overwhelming. What do you do if you are a girl and you don't like tea trolleys?"

The research examined toy catalogues, shop displays in Dublin and advertisements. It also reviewed international literature.

Prof Valiulis said the sexualisation of young girls was "a particularly worrying trend".

The report found "an increased sexualisation of children's products evident in the Bratz line . . . characterised by dolls with oversized heads with big full lips and revealing clothing".

It found that stationery and other school-related products on sale in Dublin city stores were using "sexual and age-inappropriate imagery".

It also highlighted the "boys are stupid, throw rocks at them" slogan on T-shirts and the use of the Playboy symbol on children's merchandise. Prof Valiulis said people had complained about the aiming of Playboy merchandise at teenagers "but it still continues".

Examples given of gender stereotyping included the recent "Not for Girls" marketing slogan for a chocolate bar. The report found this slogan established a division between the genders and suggested that males were "tough and chunky . . . which in turn implies that women are weaker and less solid".

It said that advertisements aimed at boys and girls were produced in different ways. There was far more variety and activity in advertisements aimed at boys. They were more likely to be shown in outdoor settings while girls were typically indoors.

The Equality Authority's chief executive Niall Crowley said marketing communications with children were failing to live up to the code of standards from the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) which said that sex stereotyping should not be used.

He said the Equality Authority would work with the ASAI to ensure that this standard was met. He also urged the advertising industry to develop initiatives that challenged gender stereotypes.