Pokemon -- Boy Toys?

[ringwraith10]

Hi everyone! I've been a lurker here for a while, but this is my first post in this awesome community

Comments

[roseofjuly]

I never understood why they didn't simply say "Do you want a Pokemon Happy meal, or a Barbie one?" Eliminates the unnecessary gender roles and they can still offer two different toys for their Happy Meals. That even gives the the option to do more than two licenses at once - maybe they offer a Beanie Baby Happy Meal at the same time as Barbie and Pokemon, and because they aren't locked down for gender they have more choice.

[mutive]

I really like that idea. Especially as it's not like only boys play with Pokemon or girls with stuffed animals. (The gender rules even apply with things like Transformers and Barbies!)

[kittymink]

basically.

[masked_creator]

Seriously.

[ellonwye]

Haha I remember having a problem with this as a kid. Years and years ago they were offering either a Barbie toy or a Hot Wheels car, and the cashier said 'Girl toy, right?'

My dad obviously knew me well enough to tell the cashier that no, I would prefer the car, and then after my dad and I started discussing why there were 'boy' toys and 'girl' toys because I just could not get my head around the fact that I was expected to like a certain thing just because I'm a girl.

This sort of thinking is really outdated and I wish McDonalds would stop doing it. I wish catalogues would stop doing it too. The girls toys section is predictably full of dolls and play kitchens and toy washing machines and irons and ironing boards, whereas the boy toys section is full of the cool, interesting, creative stuff. Just call them all TOYS please, you'll save ink at the very least!

[caligogreywings]

The only thing I like about the "girls" section being pink is that it makes it easier for me and my husband to find our ponies. :3

(I got him hooked on MLP: Friendship is Magic.)

[ringwraith10]

Ditto. I hate the color pink, but it does make things easier. ;)

[pink_thunder17]

As someone who works full-time at McDonald's, I do see where you're coming from, however I also see the flip side of the argument

[darth_eldritch]

Thank you!

Plus, I would have requested for the company's contact information, not have taken it out on the person behind the counter who is only following instructions.

[pink_thunder17]

Well, you would be one of the few to do that then! That's the biggest problem in customer service is that people blame the person directly behind the counter that they can see (Food came out wrong from grill? Nope, the cashier gets blamed, etc).

And I really think that people should write to HQ and express their distaste with the use of 'boy' and 'girl' toys. Why can't it just be toys? *shrug*

[darth_eldritch]

I worked at mickey dees for a short time. I could never keep track of the toys. It's so true that a lot of customers griped at the counter person.

Exactly, it's more effective that way, especially if a lot of people would think to do that. It is the more intelligent course of action because it is actually letting the company know. Arguing with the person behind the counter doesn't score points and tends to put people in a bad mood over something they can't control no matter what they feel about it.

[duckyangel]

As a kid I played with both barbies and hotwheels but when at mcdonalds I would always choose the barbie so that I wouldn't look strange when i asked for the boy's toy. I understand why they would label barbies as girl toys because im pretty sure a little boy would be very pissed off if he were given one as his toy in a happy meal. I understand why they would have options if one were a doll and held no interest for the other gender.
But for pokemon....thats just ridiculous! Everyone likes Pokemon! Am i not allowed to like Pokemon because I'm a girl? Pokemon definitely appeals to both genders. Hell, I know more girls who like Pokemon than I know guys. This really irritates me.

[keeleyinhiding]

"I understand why they would label barbies as girl toys because im pretty sure a little boy would be very pissed off if he were given one as his toy in a happy meal." This is an assumption that you can't really make. Just as some girls are happy to have Barbies and some girls would be very pissed off to get one in their Happy Meal.

[lexibadger]

This. My best friend's son will almost always pick the colourful sparkly toy/sticker/item over the one "supposed" to be for boys. Give him a choice between a pink kitty cat doll or a Hotwheels car, he's going to pick the doll.

[jmctechie]

exactly! i'm a preschool teacher and i had a little boy whose favorite color was pink and he would always tell you that. a lot of the boys will also pick pink paper, it doesn't matter to them that it's a "girl" color and if anyone says that i always remind them that colors and toys are for everyone they're not for just boys or just girls.

[cindyanne1]

I don't like that they have "boy" and "girl" toys.

When my kids wanted something specific (like with a promotion), I would just ask for that thing... "whichever one is the Pokemon." Otherwise, I say, "surprise me," or "it doesn't matter... just give me three of whatever."