Guys And Dolls

Veteran Toy Designer Wrestles With The Industry's Gender Divide 

Walking through most toy stores, it's easy to see the divide that permeates the industry - boys get car, sports, and building toys, while girls get princess, dress-up, and housework toys. By the time kids can speak, most are asking for playthings that correlate closely with socialized clichés, shaping their sense of self and further enforcing these stereotypes.
Why are children’s toys still so strictly gendered? Collectors Weekly spoke with Stefanie Eskander, who has worked as a designer at companies like Mattel and Hasbro for more than 30 years, about the complicated relationship between gender norms and children's playthings.