Target US announces they will remove gender-based signage

BRAVO Target. The US stores are about to remove all ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ signs in their toy sections. It’s about time the Australian stores followed suit, says Lisa Almond.

Getting in for the midyear toy sales, 1yo Matilda Tanswell of Southport surrounded by toys in the aisles of Target at Southp...

OPINION

AS A mother to two boys I would like to say bravo Target US.

Gendered signage dictating what toys and fashion items are for ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ are about to be removed from all 1799 US stores.

It’s about time, and as a parent who recently endured the midyear toy sales I can only hope the Australian stores listen to their customers and follow suit.

In the announcement Target said “Guests have raised important questions about a handful of signs in our stores that offer product suggestions based on gender.”

And in one of the biggest statements by a department store in recent years the announcement said, “we know that shopping preferences and needs change and, as guests have pointed out, in some departments like Toys, Home or Entertainment, suggesting products by gender is unnecessary.”

The removal of the gendered signage will take place over the coming months. Gendered bedding signage will be removed and signage with stereotypical colouring — blue, pink, green and yellow — will be taken down from toy aisles.

Target gender-based signage. Picture: Abi Bechtel/Twitter

Like with any major change in advertising and retail markets there has still been backlash, mostly by sarcastic keyboard warriors asking whether “men’s” and “women’s” clothing sections would also be phased-out.

As Target US have said, they want to phase out signage where it is unnecessary. While gendered signage in clothing departments is arguably just as unnecessary (who hasn’t bought a hoodie in the men’s section?) it makes sense to start with other areas of the store.

While I think many would support the phase-out of gendered signage in bedding and entertainment sections, signage of toy aisles is still bizarrely controversial.

As a parent I love the idea that we might see the end of the “girls’ toys” and “boys’ toys” era sooner rather than later. Why should your gender dictate what toy you play with? I say this as a woman who never once played with Barbies as a child. I hated them.

Similarly, my sons don’t always want to play with trucks, cars and action figures (or they want the Frozen action figures found front and centre in the “girls” section).

This is true for both genders. My niece wanted Lego for her 8th birthday recently and my son attended a birthday party for a 6-year-old female school friend who desperately wanted Ninja Turtles merchandise.

Target also cleverly acknowledged one important aspect of advertising that is rarely mentioned — colours. It’s an unwritten rule that all boys love blues and greens and browns and girls love pinks and purples and oranges, am I right?

No, actually. Far from it. I hate purple and my sons love it. And when asked what their favourite colour is they will both answer without question — orange. What’s mine? Green. Always has been. Screw you gender stereotyped colours, you didn’t win in this family.

While our local Australian stores are yet to make similar announcements I’m hoping that news of the phase-out of gendered signage in the US will at least get the marketing departments talking. In the mean time I’ll continue to let my boys play with whatever bloody toy they want to. Yes, even the pink ones.

A Chinese boy holds a 'Barbie and Tanner' toy made by US toy giant Mattel, which is still for sale in China despite being recalled in the US, at a department store in Shanghai, 15/08/07. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of millions of toys manufactured by Mattel Inc., including the Barbie and Tanner play sets. According to the commission, the play sets' "scooper" accessory has a small magnet that can come loose and if more than one magnet is swallowed they can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be fatal.