European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 27, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Focus gender bending playthings Challenge Industry s toys will be toys tradition a Carol Lawson the new York times will this be the year the gender Barrier Falls or at least shows a few Nicks will boys play with trolls will girls go for action figures and is America ready for Ken s makeover Ken of course is Barbie s Boyfriend a clean Cut athletic looking Guy handsome As a Prince. The new Ken has gone mtg. His Brown hair has been tightened by Blond streaks. And one More touch he wears an earring in his left ear. The 1993 Model of the toy Industry As presented at the american International toy fair in new York earlier this month has a new look. The $15.3 billion Industry which has been built on a solid foundation of sexual stereotypes is beginning to Register the unravelling of those stereotypes in society at Large. It Learned a lesson last year when a talking Barbie elicited an outcry because she was programmed to say Quot math class is Tough Quot a reinforcing the in the that facility with numbers is dependent on the y chromosome. Mattel the manufacturer was forced to Cut the sentence from the doll s voice Box. This year some toy makers see Dollar signs in gender blurriness. They Are trying to sell certain kinds of toys to both sexes. The concept of Quot gender bending Quot which is creating a Buzz in the Industry tells All. Gender bending is an attempt to broaden business by moving toys across the rigid Boundary that divides the toy world into two Camps Pink and Blue. This Vear manufacturers Are trying to interest boys in trolls which have been a Ivor it e w Ith g is. Likewise they Are trying to sell girls on action figures and dinosaurs popular among bos. The very idea is formidable Ghen the Industry s history. The Pink Camp consists of do is makeup flurry animals and acres of hair. On the Blue Side Are cars trucks warriors and awesome arsenals of weapons. Each Side has its own vocabulary. Pink parlance has words like Quot nurturing Quot Quot love Quot Quot magic Quot and key words on the Blue Side Are Quot hero Quot Quot Warrior Quot Quot Battle Quot and so How is the Industry executing gender bending not by bending gender stereotypes at All but by reinforcing them. The trolls for boys Are actually old fashioned action figures. Turtle trolls from playmates troll warriors from Tyco and Battle troll from Hasbro Are highly armed Battle ready characters with troll faces and stand up hair. Likewise playtime s Little miss Dinosaur and meritus industries Darlin Dinos Are outgrowths so to speak of a longtime favorite for girls the Pony with a Long mane and flowing Tail. Like the Pony which is touted in the toy Industry for its Quot hair play Quot the Dinosaur has a full head of hair. The potential in this Cross Selling is considerable. Paul Valentine a toy analyst for the Standard amp poor s corp., said sales of trolls to boys could exceed $150 million. There has not been an action figure for girls since she a he Man s sister expired five years ago. Matte is trying to fill the void with its new wonder woman and the Star riders. They could Well be big Sellers too. The derring do of the new Ken doll rather than a departure actually represents another toy tradition. Ken s Rev ised look is the latest example of Mattel s Knack for incorporating the latest societal fads and images in its phenomenally successful Quot Barbie business. This year there is a troll Barbie with stand up Tufts of Pink and Lavender hair. Still even for Mattel f earring magic Ken was a m stretch. Quot this is a big breakthrough Quot said Lisa Mckendall manager of marketing communications for Mattel. Quot we never would have done this a few years ago. But now you see More earrings on men. They Are More accepted in Day to Day life. We Are trying to keep Ken Barbie s Boyfriend Ken has a new took and an earring. R0ld Farmer s almanac still considered old reliable by the new York times the Telephone never Steps Ringk at the red clapboard Celces of the o j for re s in Dublin . And the questions rarely have to do with n a a i a a Peop e want to the Best time to out Cut. It smoke re even i on have screen.,&Quot a d Susan own. Me Branag no dec Tor. Fri kure mat the Moon has an effect on Toyee. Re a o Capo of a a cat a a a opt a of Veas Aeo vec res c -.s my Edh a it budget a a a get Fig cd a o re a std or Cove to Ca s earn Vear be of a i . With the release v to i 7 t Tea o n it v or i. rot to. A be get a replaced e p Mao ears s c the p. T rat of mat Ca a tse r me a in s to Basic guidelines have nol it follows the old new England principle of adhering to tradition. Quot id never break with tradition Quot Hale said. The almanac has been based in Dublin up the Street from the general store and alongside its Only Trank Light for the last 54 years. Throughout that time it has been pub shed by the Hale family. For most readers the almanac stands As a sice of americana one of the last testaments to the country s Rural beg innings. Quot a b g part of its Appeal is its roots sad Peery who came from Wisconsin to work on the almanac. A people seem to be la pkg for that Voce of the c d Farmer. People wart to be. Ene Mere a Truf per it to in me c d was. S w r of. R. A d Wearner stations Ecjpe cons a me a manac fee its it 24-Rvof Preo. Ofa. Quot people a to be ? it. A e a i. Ire a manac s a a Caiz of a Poser e Hgt Mca a a Somme of Cuba a a is was acc to woe1, to swept across the Region. The almanac boasts a record of 80 percent accuracy in its weather predictions. But Hale conceded that Over the course of a year its accuracy had ranged from 35 percent to 95 percent. Until 1970 the almanac used a secret formula for predicting the weather based on age old lore and y ears of careful weather observation. That has been replaced by a More modern and Hale argues More scientific approach. Or. Richard head who has degrees in aeronautics and meteorology is responsible for the temperature and precipitation predictions that cover 16 regions in the United states and five in Canada. Head is also an expert in solar activity and a former chief scientist for the space Agency. But even Hale believes it is Best to be cautious when dealing with the weather. He rented a tent for the Wedd nos of both his sons even though the a manac had predicted . The almanac w As right both a James Dobson on Ike f am 11 playing up strengths builds Confidence q i have a 9-Yearold daughter who lacks Confidence and self respect. What can i do to help her one of the most productive Means of instilling self Confidence is to teach methods by which the child can compensate. Compensation occurs when the individual counterbalances weaknesses by capitalizing on strengths it is our Job As parents to help our children find those strengths and learn to exploit them for All the self satisfaction they will yield. And this brings us to a very important concept to be grasped inferiority can either crush and paralyse an individual or it can provide tremendous emotional Energy which Powers every kind of Success and. Achievement. Remember that the same boiling water that hardens the egg Wilt soften the Carrot. Everything depends on the individual s reaction to stressful circumstances. The question is will your daughter collapse under the weight of inferiority or will she use her emotional needs to supercharge her initiative and drive the answer May depend on the direction you can provide in identifying compensatory skills. Perhaps she can establish her Niche in music a Many children do. Maybe she can develop her artistic talents or learn to write or cultivate mechanical skills or learn to Cook or Leam to raise rabbits for fun and profit. Regardless of what the Choice is the key is to Start her Down that Road Early a right now there is nothing More risky than sending a teen Ager into the storms of adolescence with no skills no unique knowledge no Means of compensating. When this occurs her ego is Stark naked. She cannot say Quot i May not be the most popular student in school but i am the Best trumpet player in the her Only source of self esteem comes from the acceptance of other students a and their love is notoriously fickle. C3 a my unmarried daughter recently told me that she is three months pregnant. What should be my attitude toward her now in you cannot reverse these circumstances by being harsh or unloving at this Point. Your daughter needs More understanding now than Ever before and you should give it to her if possible. Help her Grope through this difficulty and avoid a i told you so Quot comments. She will face Many important decisions in the next few months and she will need a Calm rational Mother and father to assist in determining the Best path to take. Remember that lasting love and affection often develop Between people who have survived a crisis together. Amp. James c. Dobson s president of focus on re Tamsy a Nono Roit of educated to toe preservation d the hero. Cd re and Knob should be Start to him at focus on the Varrily. . 22. Cobra of songs Coto. 80333. A a
