Hamleys toy shop promotes gender apartheid

This blog is also published on Liberal Conspiracy.

Hamleys is a large toyshop in central London. I went in there with the intention of buying a present for my niece, only to be shocked at the entrance when I saw the store layout sign.

Inside, toys are segregated by gender and are even allocated separate floors.

As I climbed the escalator and entered the floors themselves, I was even more horrified.

The girls’ floor is pink. It is filled with fluffy objects, beauty and hair-related toys and play cookery sets. There is even a beauty salon called ‘Tantrum’.

The boys’ floor is all about action and adventure. There are cars, trains, spaceships, science sets and construction toys.

We have a severe lack of women in senior positions in our society and a severe problem of inequality. Only 22 percent of UK parliamentarians are female. A survey of Britain’s top 100 companies find that, of 329 executive directors, only 20 are women. In the media Guardian top 100 this year – the most powerful people in the industry – the first woman is at number 18.

Despite laws and measures to introduce gender equality of rights and opportunities in our society, there is still a gaping gap between the actual proportions of men and women in our leadership positions today.

There are many contributing factors, and one is conditioning of children from an early age. Deep-rooted in our society are stereotypes that dictate to women and men and influence them on the roles in society that they are expected to fill.

There is an underlying current of expectation, tradition and what is accepted as the norm, and it sets down different paths for different genders which often becomes a reality.

The toys that children are exposed to play a major part in this. From birth, boys and girls are bombarded with stereotypes; boys are allowed to be more aggressive and climb trees, while girls are encouraged to be passive and play with plastic teapots.

Even the name that Hamleys uses for its beauty salon, ‘Tantrum’, is consistent with the stereotypical ‘hysterical’ woman - unsuited to leadership and far better aligned with the domestic role and fussing over home and appearance.

A commonly held view is that boys and girls are innately suited to these traditional stereotypical roles. But the scientific evidence for this is not substantial, comprehensive or conclusive enough, and there is more evidence that experience itself changes brain function. I've written about this here and here.

Consider a shop that had different floors and different toys for black and white children. There would be an outcry.

We are seeing our very own gender apartheid on our high street.

Hamleys – as a major toy seller – has the potential to be of huge influence.

My request to Hamleys is that it signposts its toys by some other means – for example, what the toys are, rather than who Hamleys assumes they are for.

Marks & Spencer is now listing astronomy toys in both girls and boys sections, thanks to a blog on the f word and @scottkeir on Twitter.

Can Hamleys follow suit so that girls and boys are free to choose what toys are best matched to their individual interests and potential rather than a pre-conditioned and artificial notion of what the different genders should aspire to? So that they don't feel pressurised to follow paths that confine them to the unequal positions in life we see around us?

I won’t be shopping in there for my niece unless they listen. Please spread the word.

Hereditary peers in House of Lords: all male and 'too complicated to change'

An attempt to allow women to inherit hereditary House of Lords titles has been rebuffed.

Out of 826 peers in the House of Lords, 92 are hereditary.

Women are generally not allowed to inherit titles to become hereditary Lords, which means that 11 percent of the House of Lords is male by default.

As I write this, I cannot believe that we are living in 2011 and this is part of our so-called democracy.

I've looked into it, following an article in the Telegraph about a campaign led by Lord Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, whose wife cannot inherit her family’s viscountcy. He described the law as “ridiculous” and “outrageous” in the 21st century.

But his protests have been snubbed, even though David Cameron has begun the process that could allow a firstborn daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to accede to the throne before any subsequent sons.

According to the Telegraph, Lord Strathclyde, the Leader of the House of Lords, said: “Changes to the law on succession to the throne can be effected without any change to the legitimate expectations of those in the line of succession. Changes to the rules governing succession to hereditary titles would be far more complicated to implement.”

Lady Saltoun of Abernethy, one of the few women in the House of Lords to have inherited her title, said any change in the law could be “very damaging” to family relationships if a male heir had older sisters.

Nearly all hereditary titles pass to men, with a few exceptions. In most cases where a male heir is not identified, the title is allowed to die out.

The only place where I could find a list of the full names of hereditary peers is on Wiki. On the official Parliament website, all names are with initial only, so the sex is not identifiable.

Women were allowed to sit in the Lords for the first time In 1958. The next important stage in the Lords development came when Labour was elected in 1997. Their manifesto stated that reform of the House of Lords was a major part of their agenda. In 1999 the House of Lords Act was passed. This act removed from the Lords all but 92 hereditary peers. Hereditary Peers inherit their title and consists of five ranks: Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron. Peerages may become extinct or fall into abeyance, but so long as there is an heir (male) the title will continue.

The Mouse and the Lion: a story

by Suniti Namjoshi

One day a lion caught a mouse.

"Spare me," said the mouse, "I am so little and you are so big; but, who knows, perhaps some day I will be able to do you a favour."

The lion thought this funny and let the mouse go. But a few days later the very same lion was caught in a net.

After a while the mouse came along. "Help," called the lion. "Help, little mouse. Chew through these ropes. Remember, after all, that you owe me a favour."

The mouse started chewing and then suddenly stopped.

"Why have you stopped?" roared the lion.

"Well, I just thought of something," said the little mouse, "You see, I think I have already done you a favour."

"You haven't," roared the lion.

"Yes, I have," said the mouse.

What?" roared the lion.

"Well, you see," said the mouse, "I haven't killed you."

From Feminist Fables (Virago; Spinifex), copyright Suniti Namjoshi

A woman's place is in the House

Labour Women's Network is an organisation of women members of the Labour Party dedicated to supporting Labour women to play a full part in the Party, and to securing the election of more Labour women to public office at every level.

Currently, only 22 percent of parliamentarians are women.