toy-aisle
NEW YORK (77WABC) – The California Legislature is considering a bill that, if accepted by the state, would prevent department stores from dividing toy aisles and “child-care items” by gender.
According to The LA Times, the bill entered into committee on March 7th. Assemblyman Evan Low and Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia co-authored the bill.
“In the state of California, where we hope to inspire, for example, more girls to get into science and engineering and mathematics, we want to ensure that those periodic tables and dinosaurs are not in the boys’ section,” said Assemblyman Low (D-Campbell). “We just want to let kids be kids.”
Assemblywoman Garcia expressed similar sentiments of creating a gender-neutral more inclusive environment for children. She said, “I think we have kids who are figuring out their identities, and so we want to give them that safe space to do that.”
The bill would require department stores with 500 or more employees that sell child-care items or toys to maintain to not segregate toys by gender. The stores also wouldn’t be allowed to use signage denoting that a particular item is gender-specific.
Low said it was inspired by a staffer’s 9-year-old daughter, Britten, who complained to her mother that she had to go to the boys’ section to find toys that appealed to her love of science and math.
“At a young age, why would we want to prevent a young girl from getting into wood shop or being a firefighter?” Low said. “All of these items might be listed in the boys’ section.”
If it is voted out of committee and passed by the Legislature, the bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2024. Stores could be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 if they fail to correct a violation of the provisions within 30 days of receiving written notice.
Recently Hasbro announced that Mr. Potato Head would no longer be a “mister” or a “mrs.”
Six Dr. Seuss books will also no longer be published due to allegations of racism within these books.
In today's edition of Lidia Reports on @bernieandsid, Gender neutral toy aisles?
Yep, it’s coming to a store near you!
Catch the full report here: https://t.co/VUo38EEkjE pic.twitter.com/3HOFBe5QTi— TalkRadio 77 WABC (@77WABCradio) March 9, 2021
