"Maybe soon they'll have online pick-up-after-your-husband game, complete with virtual vacuum!"

Isn't that the point of the Sims?

I've never got what was so wrong about little girls playing with dolls. As a kid whose father was always trying to push sports and "playing outside" with me, I would've been much happier if he would've left me alone to play with my dolls. My parents actually nagged me to go outside... except I had no interest. I liked Barbie and American Girl, all by myself, and would run to these activities over rollerskating our kicking a ball around the yard because I thought they were *gasp* more fun.

Why is it so horrible that some kids (especially girls) would prefer playing with this? This reminds me a bit of how we are criticized for not giving support to stay at home moms, on a junior level.

Did you read the post, Jeska? Nobody's taking girls to task for their preferences--we're commenting on how we're getting a barrage of articles and books about how disastrous it is that boys stay inside and play on computers all day, and how we absolutely, for the good of their psyches, must must must get them to go outside and skin their knees and play stickball and set things on fire like boys of yore did, because such activities are vital for the growing mind.

And then when it comes to girls, the same tastemakers are basically yawning and saying "Huh. They're playing on the computer. How about that."

You don't see a problem with the disparity in the kinds of coverage and attention there?

Besides, as a footnote, these girls are not playing with dolls. They're playing with computer programs that animate figures whose doll-like abilities are limited to being dressed up. Real dolls can get involved with all kind of adventures (you can even take them outside for the best of both worlds). The American Girl dolls are associated with books detailing their adventures.

All this does is indoctrinated young girls into playing with stereotyped toys that are supposed to reflect on their assumed nature.
I.e., of course girls play with dolls on the internet, adn boys play war games.

Why "especially girls" Jeska?
Feminists don't consider it horrible that girls would prefer playing with dolls to playing with balls. Nor do we think it's horrible that boys would prefer dolls (unlike anti-feminists).
And yes, feminists are criticized for not offering support for SAHMs. It's complete bullshit though - as we're the ones who advocate for better workplace laws, improved children's healthcare policy, better access pre-natal care (which affects all women), etc. etc.

Yes, I read the post, and from Jessica's tone, I think it was more of the nature of the websites that bothered her. If it wasn't a dress-up website, would it bother us as much?

For what it's worth, I disagree with the NYT on their treatment of boys as well. I think as a whole when adults get overly involved in children's playtime (to the point of them actually telling children how to play, as is what these articles seem to imply) it doesn't help children out very much either. If my parents had spent half of the time nagging me to go outside and put more into it encouraging the things I was interested in, I probably wouldn't have resented them so much when I was younger.

I see what you're trying to say, EG, but unfortunately it's not the same impression I get from Jessica's post.

Sarah, I'm very familiar with feminism's views on childrearing and their support of SAHMs. I know this site is like a mosquito lamp for trolls, but I'm not one of them.

In my "especially girls" remark I was referring to how no one thinks it's wrong for little boys to play with dolls but sometimes we tend to wonder why little girls play with dolls. We tend to think sometimes that little girls play with dolls as the result of gender stereotyping in toys (which is true sometimes, of course) but in doing so we also forget that some girls have genuine interest in playing with these toys.

If my parents had spent half of the time nagging me to go outside and put more into it encouraging the things I was interested in, I probably wouldn't have resented them so much when I was younger.

I understand this point completely. I'm sure MANY children who are forced to assume traditional gender roles feel the same way.

My parents divided our chores according to our genders. I have one younger brother. I had to do laundry, mop the kitchen floor, vaccuum, clean the bathroom, dust, and do the dishes. My brother mowed the lawn a couple times a year. I resented the hell out of my parents for treating us so unequally.

"no one thinks it's wrong for little boys to play with dolls"

Are you serious?
Maybe you're only referring to feminists. Please clarify.

Yes, I was only referring to feminists.

Gotcha. I still see no evidence to support the assertion that feminists want to stop girls from playing with dolls. We want kids to play with what they want to play with, not what their parents and society at large tells them they're supposed to play with because they're girls/boys.

JSYK, there will be a book out soon for girls seeking skinned knees:

The Daring Book for Girls

I have high expectations as a woman with perpetually skinned knees.

Glad they are coming out with a "girls edition" of the Dangerous Book for Boys. I won't buy it though, because I'll simply be buying my daughters the original and cutting the word "boys" out.

Not that it's your fault, Roni; all you did is post the link. But this is a sore spot for me. I don't want some book editor to decide that what "girls need" is something different from what "boys need", especially if that difference is going to get (supposedly) categorized as "feminist" or "beneficial" for girls.

I don't want to give my girls a "daring" book including "campfire songs" and "stocks and bonds" (oooh, THAT'S daring, all right--especially low-rated bonds! /snark). I want to give them a DANGEROUS book, dammit! Rabbit-skinning and all.

I can't speak for Jessica but I agree with EG that it seemed like there was a panic to get boys outside to do the whole "boys will be boys" stiche, because they weren't being physically active (when you're using the computer you are engaging your mind, though I guess that depends on what you're doing) but for girls it seemed no one cared that they were still sitting at the computer. physically playing with dolls is a lot different than sitting at a computer clicking a mouse. I used to play with dolls and I'd run around the house (and like EG suggested, I took my dolls outside for a bit of tree climbing).

Basically I think that's what it's getting at and I don't think Jessica is attacking the online doll game per se but something like this:

Presleigh is part of a booming phenomenon, the growth of a new wave of interactive play sites for a young generation of Internet users, in particular girls.

That's where the vacuuming comment comes in. Though they don't say exactly what kinds of interactive websites would be for girls, I can bet that it'll be in line with gender roles. I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

I'll simply be buying my daughters the original and cutting the word "boys" out.

Wouldn't it be great if they just came out with a Dangerous Book for Kids?

It gets even worse when you look into the differences between the books. I got so pissed off I wrote a post on it.

Liked your post very much, Sailorman. Also liked your upfront way of handling the sexism--i.e. telling your daughters about it.

If I had kids yet, I'd be of two minds. On the one hand, I'd want to do what you're doing, get it for my girls so they could have fun, and use the sexism as a teaching moment. On the other hand, I don't want to put any money into the pockets of the sleazebag sexist publishers and writers. Maybe...a second-hand copy, then?

I first saw this book last weekend at Borders (I tend to prefer my library to bookstores) and my friends had to nearly drag me away from the display in order to prevent me from unleashing a very loud tirade of indignation as I leafed through the book.

And why in the world is it pink? "Ooooh it's written for boys but we'll try to make it not as sexist by breaking gender stereotypes and making the cover fuchsia!"