A young girl sprints through the aisles of a toy store, ignoring the “boy section” to get to the products she’s interested in. She quickly passes the black and blue boxes filled with male superheroes and fake guns, entertaining yet empowering. Once she finally reaches the “girl section,” she finds that the walls are packed with narcissistic, submissive dolls. The only gun they carry is in her least favorite color, pink, and won’t work as well as her brother’s. She walks out of the store frustrated. “Why are all of the toys for girls so boring?”

Sexism in toys has always been an issue, and many consumers are becoming aware of the problem. Nerf’s recently released gun line for girls, the Rebelle, is said to have the “same performance” as their line for boys, but is still raising questions. Nerf guns were widely viewed as gender-neutral before the new product, and this recent regression is disguised as innovation. On Nerf’s website, customers can now shop by “boys” or “both,” meaning that boys have a decision, but girls do not even have their own option. In addition, the choices marketed at girls include the “Heartbreaker Bow,” “Pink Crush,” and the “Power Pair,” sending the message that girls can only have strength if there is a boy in reference. These standard guns are equipped with only two darts per blaster, but a standard boy gun can hold twenty-five. While many girls are eager to use the new, heart and butterfly covered, hot pink guns, the subliminal messages are absolutely unacceptable.

From an early age, toys expose children to gender limitations. McDonald’s Happy Meals are extremely popular amongst kids. The little red box holds the food, a drink, and a toy; kids choose from two toy options. In May 2014, they are centered on The Amazing Spider-Man 2, one choice including products like action figures and masks, the other with pink wallets and bracelets. The problem occurs when children are not asked whether they would prefer a figure or accessory, but whether they want the toy for “girls” or “boys.” This limits kids from selecting what they want because it’s supposedly not made for them and also completely neglects children who identify as non-binary and bigender. Kids having to accept societal restraints by being forced into one of two categories leaves many feeling insecure.

Sexist toys also promote unhealthy self-image issues. Children should not be exposed to negative stereotypes reinforced by some products. For example, “It’s Girl Stuff” by Kandy Kids is sparking major controversy. In addition to the exclusion caused by its name, many are angered over one specific toy: a cleaning set. It is equipped with a dustpan, brush, cleaning spray and broom, all wrapped up in a marketable rosy package. While girls are encouraged to stay home and tend to the house, boys are able to relate to action figures and heroes. As mentioned with Happy Meals, the lack of gender diverse models on toy boxes also causes many kids to feel isolated. If a boy wanted a product with a girl pictured on it, he would likely feel out of place buying it. This same mindset applies to all other genders as well. Stereotypes and “intended users” of goods make many children feel uncertain and ashamed.

Children are now beginning to notice the gender inequality. In a strongly worded letter, seven-year-old Charlotte Benjamin wrote to the Lego company about stereotyping in their products. She complains that there are more Lego boys than girls and that the two are forced into pink and blue categories. Charlotte points out that the girl figures merely “sit at home, go to bed and shop” while boys go on great adventures like “swimming with sharks.” Despite the sexism being so prevalent that even kids can see it, corporations continue to ignore the separation; Charlotte’s letter was never answered. Similarly to Nerf, Lego’s were originally gender neutral, but now feature limited, non-challenging designs specifically for girls. The new line features shopping and baking cakes, vastly different from the strong engineering focus of the line for boys. As the problem expands, the victims start to realize what a troubling situation they are in.

Bigoted companies and their buyers continually defend the discrimination by dismissing the fact that it exists. Toy corporations are more focused on what will earn the most money than what is morally right. They consistently claim that the introduction of separated toys is due to customer demand. However, this comment is based on a generalized idea of American children, the same concept that suggests girls be infatuated with the color pink while boys are the heroes. An outdated average should not suggest an entire market.

Toy prejudice will be stopped if consumers advocate that their wishes do not match what companies believe they desire. Large brands are not intentionally trying to offend children, but instead rely on what a dated society believes. Boycotting toys such as the Nerf Rebelle, the new Lego friends, and the “It’s Girl Stuff” line will cause the products to fail. In addition, if enough people voice their opinions and recommend changes, advancements can be made. Writing letters to companies and advising McDonald’s employees to not refer to Happy Meals as “boy” or “girl” toys can help in reaching equality. When brands see that shoppers do not approve of stereotyping, they will stop manufacturing problematic goods.

Sexist toys promote messages that are unhealthy for young, impressionable minds. Gender hierarchies and categorizations skew children’s mindsets. Kids grow up believing that any deviation from these societal standards is negative, when they should be praised for their individuality. Future generations should not have to endure the prejudice that haunts America’s past.