Should We Insist On Gender-Neutral Books, Or Are Some Right Into Believing That This Is One Step Short Of Nazism?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/genderspecific-books-demean-all-our-children-so-the-independent-on-sunday-will-no-longer-review-anything-marketed-to-exclude-either-sex-9194694.html

/// There are those who will say that insisting on gender-neutral books and toys for children is a bizarre experiment in social engineering by radical lefties and paranoid “femininazis” who won’t allow boys to be boys, and girls to be girls. (Because, by the way, seeking equality of rights and opportunities was a key plank of Nazi ideology, was it?) ///

Could we see a mass burning of books that don't meet this criteria?

[pixie373]

Mikey. Feminists have anything but penis envy!. I really don't think they are suggesting any of what you've said. It's not the books that will change, but the marketing.

[mikey4444]

Good for you daisy ! There was another series of books, with a Captain Mettle in them, set in Oz, that I enjoyed but my memory is a little hazy on the details.

I was a huge fan of Enid Blyton as a boy in the 50's and 60's. But I have to admit that they were rather boy-centric. While Julian and Dick were out having adventures, poor Ann was always left back at the den, endlessly cleaning. She did have George for somewhat reluctant company, although George was a strange one and no mistake ! Even the dog was a chap.

The Lone Pine series by Malcolm Saville were also favourites but I seem to recall that both boys and girls were given equal share of the adventures.

Happy days !

[pixie373]

I liked Enid Blyton, although it seemed old-fashioned, even then.

[Mamyalynne]

Why all the fuss, all it takes is to make sure the content within the pages of the book are suitable for your child - it isn't difficult at all.

I don't mean by age range either, what can give one 10 year old nightmares can have another laughing out loud - I speak from experience.

[jno]

Blyton's books mostly weren't marketed as being for boys or girls either. (I'm pretty sure even ones like The Naughtiest Girl in the School weren't labelled as "for girls", though it might dpend where you lived.) Nobody ever assumed only boys would read about the Secret Seven.

[mikey4444]

I was born in 1953. I know of no boy that would have read Malory Towers, no matter what label was put upon it.

[sandyRoe]

If they'd changed the names of the characters they'd have had boys reading it. Apart from Billy Bunter, weren't there stories set in boarding schools in the Wizard and Rover?

[mikey4444]

Sandy....its not just the names that would have had to be changed. Boys and girls are not the same, or they weren't in my day. Girls are not inferior to boys, just different. I can't see what the fuss is about.

[jno]

Bunter did have a sister, sandyRoe

http://www.jessops.com/storefinder/?gclid=CO7y_9H2l70CFYWWtAodCmcAig

Mikey, I can assure you my siblings and I read everything we could get our hands on regardless of whether it was Malory Towers or Tom Brown's Schooldays.

[sandyRoe]

She was called, Bessie, wasn't she?

[jno]

yes indeed, and a fine lot of scrapes she got into

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91Ph4i7G16L._SL1500_.jpg

The Hilda Richards who chronicled them was actually the Charles Richards who wrote about her brother.

[sandyRoe]

Maybe my thought that names might have been changed to increase potential readership wasn't so far fetched. I'm not saying that Hilda/Charles would have done it because Billie and Bessie were something of a hit. But the penny a line hacks who wrote for The Wizard and The Rover could probably have got away with it.

[ludwig]

Some clothes are marketed just for females and some for males. Will the Independent refuse to talk about those too? Same applies to toys, cosmetics, magazines, etc etc. Are they different? If so, why?

[naomi24]

Potty!

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit 17:25 Sun 16th Mar 2014

/// Writing books just for girls is not nazism. Anyone suggesting such a thing should be sent to a gas chamber. ///

Not the best choice of words, i would say.

/// The Independent is a commercial company and as such can design their own criteria for what books get rieviewed. ///

How very tolerant Gromit has become, pity he doesn't show the Daily Mail the same kind of tolerance.

/// If you do not like the Independent's stance, do not buy their newspper. ///

That of course should mean their web site, seeing that this was taken from the Independent's web site

But all the same, please note Gromit's words, all you anti Daily Mail Brigade,

/// Lastly, there must be more interesting stuff to discuss than this nonsence? ///

36 answers to date isn't bad, some must find it interesting.

[anotheoldgit]

How long before someone suggests that certain books do not represent the ethnic mix of characters?

[sandyRoe]

You're right to mention that, AOG. There's hardly a black or brown face to be seen in the world that Noddy and Big Ears inhabit.

[anotheoldgit]

What about the 'naughty gollies that live in the woods'?

http://listverse.com/2007/12/03/top-10-politically-incorrect-kids-books/