
My brother got a remote-controlled racecar for his 4th birthday. I, being the jealous big sister, begged and pleaded to play with the car at every opportunity. I should not have been shocked to get my very own remote-controlled car that Christmas.
But I was. The car was black and had a spider emblem on the side. "Santa must have written the wrong name," 6-year-old me declared, ruffling through the pile of balled-up wrapping paper to check. But indeed, the car was for me. The boy car.
Should little boys and girls be able to play with any toy of their color and choosing without fear of physical or psychological consequences? Absolutely. But that issue really pertains to all aspects of life.I grew up a pink-loving, kitty-obsessed girly-girl with Barbies bursting from their storage boxes and enough baby dolls to fill five cribs. Today I'm clueless when it comes to make-up, getting my PhD in the sciences, and wearing blue shoes next month in my blue-themed wedding.I think I turned out alright. Though perhaps I should address that make-up issue before I walk down the aisle.Hurlbert, A.C., & Y. Ling. (2007). Biological components of sex differences in color preference
Jadva V, Hines M, & Golombok S (2010). Infants' preferences for toys, colors, and shapes: sex differences and similarities. Archives of sexual behavior, 39 (6), 1261-73 PMID: 20232129