Here's something that has been bugging me lately: I'm transitioning from male to female, but when I look back to my childhood, although there are many moments when I felt that there was something wrong with my gender, I see that most of the time I played with boys toys.
I loved action figures, from Ninja Turtles to the Masters Of The Universe. The more badass the character was, the better. I also played with cars, videogames, blabla.
Does it make you less female? I personaly think it doesn't, but I'd love to hear your opinions. Do you think toy choices are an indicator of one's gender?
Quote from: Alex_K on January 07, 2013, 06:34:06 AM
Do you think toy choices are an indicator of one's gender?
For me, not at all. I acted very cis until my mid to late teens. Played with toy army men and build-it toys (blocks, legos, etc.) Read books that appeal to young males, stayed away from those intended for females.
I played with Star Wars figures (the original ones...shows my age)
I loved GI Joe. I had an army set. Fake guns. I played cops and robbers a lot as a kid....and i loved all of it.
I never equated play things with gender stereotypes.
If I ever had to do it again, I would still throw my little storm troopers in the hole I dug in the back yard as my little personal sarlakk pit
The primary thing I know I liked were the 20+ stuffed animals with different names and personalities. I remember playing with Star Wars, GI Joe, and He-Man stuff later. Everything I liked required imagination. I didn't like sports, although I did play them because everyone else was. I eventually did get hooked on gaming, but I was 12 when Nintendo came out and Atari was fun, but really couldn't hold my interest for very long although I was known to roll the score several times over on Asteroids and Pacman!
Quote from: Annah on January 07, 2013, 08:08:10 AM
I played with Star Wars figures (the original ones...shows my age)
There are new ones?
Quote from: Alex_K on January 07, 2013, 06:34:06 AM
Do you think toy choices are an indicator of one's gender?
I think that in general, they don't, but maybe they can give a hint of how stereotypically boyish or girlish someone was as a child. And it depends a lot on what toys were available, too. I had no siblings living with me -> nothing to compare to or no strange need to use their toys.
I played with legos, barbies and ponies. I remember not understanding why anyone would want to play with baby dolls. But mostly I just played outside, made tree houses, was always on my bike learning new tricks, dug cities in the sand etc. The only odd thing I can pick up was that I was always a natural choice to play a boy role in a game, and that it made me feel good.
I played with whatever toys I could get my hands on, since I didn't have that many of my own. Dolls, cars, My Little Pony, whatever.
I used to play with lego and bionic!! Anything that I could build with I loved (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fyoursmiles.org%2Ftsmile%2Fkitten%2Ft09166.gif&hash=69d381c1d0453f4f31b7a99e47eb2ebd63db1775)
I guess my toys more showed my future career though seeming I am studying electrical engineering.
I have never played with dolls of so called girly things lol, Played a lot with lego. Guess that's why I became an Architect LoL. Used to play cricket with my friends. But I always knew I was a girl. I think you can't judge person's gender by the toys used they play.
Lego,a zoo set with all sorts of animals and a farm set cars,made models of warplanes tanks,army vehicles,soldiers and cars.A favourite was a Sooty glove puppet which I put on shows for my sister with me behind the sofa.My Gran on my Dad's side got me lots of girls' books which I passed on to my sister.A favourite I read many times was Tubby of Maryland Manor(can't remember who wrote it or much about it)I hated sport because I was no good at it.
I played with airplanes,rockets and hot wheels. Easy bake Ovens also. :laugh:
I cant believe how many of us played with lego. It was my favorite toy by far. I wonder if the fantasy and creative freedom of it played a part. You can make something xgender then take it apart before anyone knew.
No I do not think toy choices & games are a good indication of one's gender. I played soldiers a lot so presumably I must have had no gender issues eh? Erm - wrong. But then I go to university and meet lots of women who also want to be in the army. What? Are they all transmen??
I suppose until they can do accurate brain scans these things may have been thought of as some sort of useful diagnostic tool but to me the idea that plays up gender stereotypes a lot .
I played with Lego (a transgender favourite), airfix models, computer games when they came out. I played war and rough games with boys (but girls joined in too) and I played hopscotch, house and messed about with flowers with the girls. No dolls but a lot of soft toys. My neice reminds me of me actually. We are very similar.
I think the girliness of my identity was more apparent through the film characters I identified with - the leads in Times Square, Ally Sheedy in the Breakfast Blub, Demi Moore in GI Jane (from my infantry days) come to mind.
Quote from: Anna on January 07, 2013, 03:15:21 PM
No I do not think toy choices & games are a good indication of one's gender. I played soldiers a lot so presumably I must have had no gender issues eh? Erm - wrong. But then I go to university and meet lots of women who also want to be in the army. What? Are they all transmen??
I suppose until they can do accurate brain scans these things may have been thought of as some sort of useful diagnostic tool but to me the idea that plays up gender stereotypes a lot .
I played with Lego (a transgender favourite), airfix models, computer games when they came out. I played war and rough games with boys (but girls joined in too) and I played hopscotch, house and messed about with flowers with the girls. No dolls but a lot of soft toys. My neice reminds me of me actually. We are very similar.
I think the girliness of my identity was more apparent through the film characters I identified with - the leads in Times Square, Ally Sheedy in the Breakfast Blub, Demi Moore in GI Jane (from my infantry days) come to mind.
Ah yes you reminded me of my 39 plushy toy collection hehe I had that till my mom said your a big boy now and gave them away ??? cant boys have cuddly things >:(
I played with whatever was available. I really loved animal and dinosaur toys, but did not care too much if it was made for a boy or a girl. It was something to do. I don't think it has anything to do with gender.
Pine cones, rocks and sticks. We did not have much when we were kids. As I got a little older, I was given an erector set and after that a little microscope.
Well I am gonna say it the age of toys is over .... I mean my 3 year ols cousin just plays with her parents ipad and plays angry birds....
Quote from: LilDevilOfPrada on January 07, 2013, 04:03:42 PM
Well I am gonna say it the age of toys is over .... I mean my 3 year ols cousin just plays with her parents ipad and plays angry birds....
My 6 year old loves his toys. He would rather play with them than with any form of electronic entertainment.
Quote from: Brooke777 on January 07, 2013, 04:33:24 PM
My 6 year old loves his toys. He would rather play with them than with any form of electronic entertainment.
Then trust me never let him try ipad games ::)
Quote from: LilDevilOfPrada on January 07, 2013, 03:24:42 PM
Ah yes you reminded me of my 39 plushy toy collection hehe I had that till my mom said your a big boy now and gave them away ??? cant boys have cuddly things >:(
It hurt at the time but it was the right thing to do. I mean if hadn't been made to grow up would I have had to go to my sister's room to try out her cool jewelry, flower press & loom?
I played with a one armed Jafar.
No really. My siblings and I played a game that we called "Roger and Bad Guys" (we associated Roger as a villain name for reasons I can't remember). My sister had "Roger," a fireman toy, my brother had Governor Ratcliff from Pocahontas, and I had Jafar whose arm had broken off. At first, we pretended they kidnapped the good guys and they would have to escape and then we got tired of the good guys and just played with the bad guys. At some point, Roger and Jafar got Barbie wives and kids and moved into Littlest Pet Shop houses. Governer Ratcliff started living with the genie from Aladdin and moved into one of those rectangular margarine containers.
My brother and I also used to wrestle and "swordfight" with sticks. All of us climbed trees. We also used to pretend to go to Narnia-style lands. Uh... water fights, sprinklers, sledding in winter, you know. The usually outdoor stuff.
Quote from: LilDevilOfPrada on January 07, 2013, 04:37:35 PM
Then trust me never let him try ipad games ::)
We have an ipad, and he has played it. But, while he is playing it all I have to do is mention his toys and he puts it down and goes to get his toys. He really likes to use his imagination. ;D
Quote from: Brooke777 on January 07, 2013, 04:54:13 PM
We have an ipad, and he has played it. But, while he is playing it all I have to do is mention his toys and he puts it down and goes to get his toys. He really likes to use his imagination. ;D
Thats a good sign imaginative kids develop best :P (not always but I was always told they do).
Thanks for replying everyone :-)
I have a ciswoman friend that used to build WWII tank models xD. Another one was a huge fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and never understood why her parents kept giving her dolls. None of them has gender issues; they are very certain of their feminity.
It's just that I keep seeing and reading testimonials like "I always prefered dolls and pink and mermaids and rainbow stickers" and whatever that's SUPOSEDLY for girls. You don't see in documentaries about transexuality MTFs that used to collect skull pins and played with a creative mix of gi-joes, heman, terminator and whatever fell into their hands to create stories that could last weeks or months.
The typical image we get from documentaries is the "trapped in the wrong body" image. At some point, the "I used to play with dolls" line pops up. The idea that people can say "aaah... he used to play with girl toys... it makes sense" bothers me. It contributed to people telling me "are you sure about that transitioning thing? I mean... when you were a boy you were just a normal boy that liked boy stuff". I suppose some things are more obvious than others.
I played outside, with sticks and grass and dad's tools that he never saw again.
Quote from: Alex_K on January 07, 2013, 05:10:42 PM
Thanks for replying everyone :-)
I have a ciswoman friend that used to build WWII tank models xD. Another one was a huge fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and never understood why her parents kept giving her dolls. None of them has gender issues; they are very certain of their feminity.
It's just that I keep seeing and reading testimonials like "I always prefered dolls and pink and mermaids and rainbow stickers" and whatever that's SUPOSEDLY for girls. You don't see in documentaries about transexuality MTFs that used to collect skull pins and played with a creative mix of gi-joes, heman, terminator and whatever fell into their hands to create stories that could last weeks or months.
The typical image we get from documentaries is the "trapped in the wrong body" image. At some point, the "I used to play with dolls" line pops up. The idea that people can say "aaah... he used to play with girl toys... it makes sense" bothers me. It contributed to people telling me "are you sure about that transitioning thing? I mean... when you were a boy you were just a normal boy that liked boy stuff". I suppose some things are more obvious than others.
My one friend has been doing drums since she was little and build vintage war ships, so yea gender doesnt equal the toys.
Quote from: Alex_K on January 07, 2013, 05:10:42 PM
Thanks for replying everyone :-)
I have a ciswoman friend that used to build WWII tank models xD. Another one was a huge fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and never understood why her parents kept giving her dolls. None of them has gender issues; they are very certain of their feminity.
It's just that I keep seeing and reading testimonials like "I always prefered dolls and pink and mermaids and rainbow stickers" and whatever that's SUPOSEDLY for girls. You don't see in documentaries about transexuality MTFs that used to collect skull pins and played with a creative mix of gi-joes, heman, terminator and whatever fell into their hands to create stories that could last weeks or months.
The typical image we get from documentaries is the "trapped in the wrong body" image. At some point, the "I used to play with dolls" line pops up. The idea that people can say "aaah... he used to play with girl toys... it makes sense" bothers me. It contributed to people telling me "are you sure about that transitioning thing? I mean... when you were a boy you were just a normal boy that liked boy stuff". I suppose some things are more obvious than others.
That was what my family's exact first reaction when I came out. " You were nothing like the ones who said they were born in the wrong body, You didn't even touch a doll when you are little and you were such an active child". I had to try so hard to convince them it was who I am and it has nothing to do with my gender. and I had to remember then I loved hopscotch and play houses too lol. And this same typical gender stereotyping made my gender confusion worse specially when in me early teens. I knew I was a girl inside but still I was an adrenaline junkie who loved outdoor activities. There are so many things separated between girls activities and boys activities. I was more in to boy side of the spectrum and I thought becoming a girl I had to give up all the things I liked doing. But I always wanted to do those things I liked as a girl and it took me several years to realize that I can do those.
The only two documentaries I had watched without stereotypical childhoods were the Prodigal Sons and She is a Boy I knew. I think they should do more documneteries like that without the ones that says " Ohhhhh...... I used to be so feminine when I was little and I only played with dolls"
Quote from: anya921 on January 07, 2013, 11:05:26 PM
I think they should do more documneteries like that without the ones that says " Ohhhhh...... I used to be so feminine when I was little and I only played with dolls"
^^^^ THIS!!!!!!!!
People have femininity/masculinity confused with female/male identity. Two totally different things. A lot of women with masculine interests, both cis and trans, identify as females.
whatever I could get my hands on :D
Quote from: agfrommd on January 08, 2013, 06:50:38 AM
^^^^ THIS!!!!!!!!
People have femininity/masculinity confused with female/male identity. Two totally different things. A lot of women with masculine interests, both cis and trans, identify as females.
Exactly I am female but I ain't no Barbie.
Quote from: girl you look fierce on January 08, 2013, 10:26:58 AM
Well I played with mostly girly things, but then I had a big sister and I was always playing with her and her friends. So yeah I played with barbies and ponies and we played house and tea party and stuff. I also liked doing craft things, so when I got slightly older I did crocheting and beads and that kind of stuff.
OTOH I played more neutral things too, like tag and hide and seek. I knew boys who were into GI Joes and army men and stuff but tbh I never got into the more fighting-oriented toys.
I know they did like a study that said boys are more interested in boyish toys... I think that is probably true but I can't really say personally, cause my sister was my big influence as a kid.
Boys like boys toys because they are programmed to by many surrounding factors, same with girls.
I played with Hot Wheels, Lego, video games, and my sister. It was nice to share interests with her in most things.
I don't really feel like playing with those toys is a marker of gender... Your gender might be apparent in how you play with them, but it's really quite a non-issue. Building things out of Lego was a thousand times better than playing with dolls; when you play with dolls, you use your imagination, but when you build with Lego, you exercise your creativity.
Ah, the good old days...
I think there is too much emphasis placed upon gender and what we do that defines it particularly as a child, amongst other things. Because a boy plays with a doll he will grow up to be gay or trans? Perhaps. Or maybe he's emulating he father caring for his baby sister. Because a girl wears cargo pants and has her hair buzzed she must be les or trans? Perhaps. Or maybe her mother and uncle are fighting in the military and she wants to grow up and defend her country too. Does it matter what little trinkets and oddities we do and should they define us? I think we place to much trust and force on these simple acts and allow them to dictate our lives. How you feel comes from the heart and only you know what it says. You feel you're a boy. Great. You were born a female. Great. You also feel you are gay. Great. Does not change your character, your ability to function, or your ability to love and show compassion one bit.
On a less serious note and more to topic, I grew up playing with Barbies, Transformers, Hot Wheels, My Little Pony, Legos, Makeup, Sticks, Dirt, Bugs, and Imaginary Friends. I always new I was a boy though. However, I still wanted pink furry carpet and to live in a sparkling castle with my prince.
Quote from: LilDevilOfPrada on January 08, 2013, 10:43:46 AM
Boys like boys toys because they are programmed to by many surrounding factors, same with girls.
I doubt this.
Wife and I used to believe it, until we had kids and tried to teach them to be gender-neutral...none of our 3 kids put up with that nonsense, and we were just smart enough to realize that *they* knew what kinds of toys they wanted to play with.
Also, kids are not blank slates until written upon...we saw their personalities immediately (or soon after) they were born, and throughout their life we saw them take things in, modify them to their own needs, and create entirely original things...they displayed very little in the way of automaton behaviors.
Quote from: Beth Andrea on January 08, 2013, 01:58:22 PM
I doubt this.
Wife and I used to believe it, until we had kids and tried to teach them to be gender-neutral...none of our 3 kids put up with that nonsense, and we were just smart enough to realize that *they* knew what kinds of toys they wanted to play with.
Also, kids are not blank slates until written upon...we saw their personalities immediately (or soon after) they were born, and throughout their life we saw them take things in, modify them to their own needs, and create entirely original things...they displayed very little in the way of automaton behaviors.
Well to be fair, endophysiology isn't so simple that people who haven't studied it can make accurate generalized statements. I apologise.
Quote from: girl you look fierce on January 08, 2013, 10:26:58 AM
Well I played with mostly girly things, but then I had a big sister and I was always playing with her and her friends. So yeah I played with barbies and ponies and we played house and tea party and stuff. I also liked doing craft things, so when I got slightly older I did crocheting and beads and that kind of stuff.
So much of this has to do with opportunity. Given that my dad tried to "fix" me by starting boy scout troops and setting up boxing tournaments (which I then loathed and avoided, but usually had to put some token effort into) I've always assumed he was aware of my stereotypical feminine interests. But I also recall not always getting nearly as many opportunities to play with the toys I preferred, and usually had to be fairly clever to increase the time I was able to spend at those activities, which often involved some stealth and concealment at times.
I did play with some action figures, but I didn't own any of them... I would usually play with them when I was sent off to play with boys in the neighborhood.
In early childhood, most of my playmates were girls, but this became more complicated as time went on, and as my family were not especially encouraging it as time went on either. Being coerced into playing with boys probably has more than a little to do with my issues with them. My ex and I joked yesterday about the irony, since I made it very clear when we were planning to have children, that I was very uncomfortable with the idea of raising a boy, and now we're both dealing with someone we thought was a daughter (granted, never typically feminine) who is on his way to becoming a man.
Up to 6-7 YO I played with my sisters barbies, but after that it become too painful to bear the beatings when I was found playing with dolls, specially since the beatings would almost invariably be extended to my sisters for "aiding and abetting."
From 7-12 YO I played by going into the forest and climbing trees, hiding in the caves, and climbing the mountains, no friends, no toys.
Quote from: peky on January 08, 2013, 06:52:56 PM
Up to 6-7 YO I played with my sisters barbies, but after that it become too painful to bear the beatings when I was found playing with dolls, specially since the beatings would almost invariably be extended to my sisters for "aiding and abetting."
From 7-12 YO I played by going into the forest and climbing trees, hiding in the caves, and climbing the mountains, no friends, no toys.
:( :'( hugs!
Seriously that sucks, kids are horrible (or was you talking about your parents?)
Quote from: Beth Andrea on January 08, 2013, 01:58:22 PM
I doubt this.
Wife and I used to believe it, until we had kids and tried to teach them to be gender-neutral...none of our 3 kids put up with that nonsense, and we were just smart enough to realize that *they* knew what kinds of toys they wanted to play with.
I had a similar experience. I remember giving my daughter a toy fire truck for an early birthday along with the girly stuff. The little one gave us a look like "what the heck am I supposed to do with THIS?"
I played with quite a variety over the years of my youth. I had a sailor GI Joe my Dad gave me that was followed by several more. I didn't have any dolls save for my one Barbie that I traded a Joe for. I kept her hidden most of the time. When I was still in elementary school I preferred playng with the girls and wasn't much interested in the football or basketball games. As I got older I would go out exploring with the other boys into the woods of the abandoned Naval Air Station. I did have a collection of model airplanes until I upset my Brother one day. He ended up shooting them off of the ceiling with his BB gun. Later I got a 10 speed and took my exploration farther from home.
I played with just about everything. My parents were very liberal about this for the 50s-60s. I had trucks, cars, dolls, blocks, lincoln logs, etc. I spent time lining up toys like some other Asperger kids. :) Also spent a lot of time drawing.
I also climbed trees, hid in the grass, rode bikes, that whole thing.
I played with boys and girls in the neighborhood and was much more accepted than I was at school for some reason.
I don't think that my play was very gendered.
--Jay
and to add to my post, My elder brother's favorite toy when he was little was a barbie and my mother says he used to take it every where with him. And he had played the role of little red riding hood when he was in kinder garden. But once he started preschool he never played with dolls again. I know for a fact my parents didn't force him to give up his doll. He loved all the boy sport and never liked play houses or hopscotch. He was the typical Golden child of the family.
But my sister, we always played with Lego and we loved outdoor things as well as play houses and hopscotch. When she was in Junior school she used to play cricket with all the guys of her class. In fact she was the only girl in the school who did that and she was pretty good at it too. she never wore a single dress till she reached her teen years lol. But she was and is happy as a girl and she is straight as anyone straight person can be.
I used to play cricket and loved out door activities as well as Play houses and Hopscotch. But I knew I wanted to be a girl since I can remember. we all used to climb trees in our front yard together. Guess we were very lucky to have very liberal parents.
I think this shows what or how you played will not determined your gender. Three children raised by same parents same way, but liked to play with different things and who exactly knew what their gender was.
Quote from: hazel on January 08, 2013, 07:15:24 PM
:( :'( hugs!
Seriously that sucks, kids are horrible (or was you talking about your parents?)
The beatings where mostly perpetrated -in order of severity and frequency- by the priests in my elementary and middle school, then by my parents, and then by male schoolmates.
By age 12 I was exiled to live in a farm by myself, I got to see my uncle 2 o3 times a month. This lasted until I was 14 1/2 YO. By then I have grown to be almost 6 ft -a giant by South American Standards- 185 lb and into martial arts, so nobody ever beat me again.
Yet, between the beatings, the lack of food and love, yeah, my childhood is something I would rather forget.
The good news is that to compensate I pured a lost of affection, love, and goodies, and protection on my children. I played -and I still do- with them with all kind of toys...from tea party with Mr Peeps and Ms Lavender with my daughters, to HALO 3 with my boys...LOL
At the end...their abuse did not poison my spirit or heart or mind...I won!!!!
Quote from: peky on January 09, 2013, 11:46:56 AM
The beatings where mostly perpetrated -in order of severity and frequency- by the priests in my elementary and middle school, then by my parents, and then by male schoolmates.
By age 12 I was exiled to live in a farm by myself, I got to see my uncle 2 o3 times a month. This lasted until I was 14 1/2 YO. By then I have grown to be almost 6 ft -a giant by South American Standards- 185 lb and into martial arts, so nobody ever beat me again.
Yet, between the beatings, the lack of food and love, yeah, my childhood is something I would rather forget.
The good news is that to compensate I pured a lost of affection, love, and goodies, and protection on my children. I played -and I still do- with them with all kind of toys...from tea party with Mr Peeps and Ms Lavender with my daughters, to HALO 3 with my boys...LOL
At the end...their abuse did not poison my spirit or heart or mind...I won!!!!
This seriously made me feel like crying at the start and then really happy for you by the end, despite all that hurt you have turned out to be a wonderfull person, enjoy your rep points sister! ;D
Spoken like a heroine Peky.
Quote from: TessaM on January 09, 2013, 01:18:51 PM
My favourite toy car was a Renault Clio.
Not meaning to sidetrack this thread, but my first car was a '76 VW Golf/Rabbit.
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbringatrailer.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2FPostviaEmail%2Fimages%2F1976_Volkswagen_Golf_Rabbit_For_Sale_Front_resize.jpg&hash=5d1f19bf832e2019c2b729e3d23fbc5637118c7b)
If they had come in pink I would have bought it that color, but it was (very) used and not quite as pristine at the one in that image (but close). I got a lot of ribbing about the color from my alcoholic Army friends at the time -- I bought it at a time when I was starting to go stir-crazy in the barracks, living outside Washington DC. Also, having it made my children possible, as without it I would never have met the woman I married 2 years later.
Quote from: Kelly J. P. on January 08, 2013, 12:58:40 PM
I played with Hot Wheels, Lego, video games, and my sister. It was nice to share interests with her in most things.
I don't really feel like playing with those toys is a marker of gender... Your gender might be apparent in how you play with them, but it's really quite a non-issue. Building things out of Lego was a thousand times better than playing with dolls; when you play with dolls, you use your imagination, but when you build with Lego, you exercise your creativity.
Ah, the good old days...
Ah Lego. This was my favorite toy. Especially the castles and pirate ships. I had other castle and knights sets too. Anything medieval. Really, my parents never pushed gender stuff aside from forcing me into dresses for school and church. They bought me 'boy' and 'girl' stuff. Legos, Ninja Turtles, army type figures, Battle Beasts, action heroes, ponies, Cabbage Patch (showing my age here), swords, etc. Oh and toy cars with a big wooden ramp my dad built me.
Outside play normally consisted of same - pretending to be a knight or conquistador (especially a conquistador). Or sometimes I would be in the Vietnam 'jungle' in the mornings when the grass was wet. The main theme was I was always a soldier or rebel of some kind. If there was a girl around, I kidnapped her. (Not sure why, but my sister and cousin both loved this).
I think most kids just play with whatever's put in front of them. And they want whatever's popular. If it's on tv and their friends have it, they want it. If they're around mostly boys, they're going to want the boy stuff. And vice versa. I begged for a Cabbage Patch because everyone else had one not because it was a doll or whatever. (of course it may have also been because the girls repeatedly said I looked like one and how adorable that was. I just ate that ->-bleeped-<- up. :laugh:)
WE HAVE FOUND THE BEST TOY TO GIVE CHILDREN!! LEGO
Quote from: LilDevilOfPrada on January 09, 2013, 02:45:14 PM
WE HAVE FOUND THE BEST TOY TO GIVE CHILDREN!! LEGO
Definitely.
My son loves his legos. Granted, so do I.
I was into more toys aimed at boys. My parents insisted on getting me barbies but I really didn't have the interest, but also didn't have the heart to tell them I just wasn't that interested. My sibling who is a bit homophobic and cis was the one playing with the dolls I got oddly enough.
As a kid in Ecuador, I didn't have toys.
Now my dad works in the postal service, so until we had more money, my toy was bubble wrap. Lots and lots of bubble wrap. ;D
Now it consists mostly of used video games and a few weapons. :)
Oh ya, and a huge stuffed animal collection. ;D
My mother is extremely religious but my dad was a hippie. Everything was gender neutral until I could choose what I wanted. I had dinosaur sheets, conan the barbarian, He-Man, G.I. Joe, Teddy Ruxpin, My Pet Monster, Thundercats, TMNT, cars, etc. Almost everything I had was bought at yard sales with the little bit of pocket money my grandma would slide me in the car weekly.
My childhood was spent playing outside by myself. I grew up in a rural area and there was no children to play with. I still remember my Rambo play set. It had an emerald Buddha, plastic bowie knife, and a few other items. I would run around shirtless in the woods (it was great being an androgynous flat chested little kid) near the creek for hours just making up scenarios in my head.
Quote from: Simon on January 24, 2013, 05:06:54 PM
My mother is extremely religious but my dad was a hippie.
Okay.... How in heck did that happen? ???
Quote from: Simon on January 24, 2013, 05:06:54 PM
My childhood was spent playing outside by myself. I grew up in a rural area and there was no children to play with. I still remember my Rambo play set. It had an emerald Buddha, plastic bowie knife, and a few other items. I would run around shirtless in the woods (it was great being an androgynous flat chested little kid) near the creek for hours just making up scenarios in my head.
Ah, yes. I played with sticks too.
Quote from: DianaP on January 24, 2013, 05:14:01 PM
Okay.... How in heck did that happen?
I dunno but the marriage didn't last, lol.
I liked lego a lot. I also had a lot of stuffed animals that I had named (Blue Thunderfoot the dinosaur, Nonoraurus the rhino, Black Mary the spider...). When playing with other kids, I had these very elaborate pretend-games, my characters were mostly outsiders who had trouble communicating with others (one character I played was a elf boy who was mute and could only communicate by playing on a flute he'd carved from stone in the cave he lived in). I also liked to play stone-age man, I smashed rocks against each other to get sharp-edged things and would often contemplate cutting my long hair off to make bow strings and other useful items with it (I never did do that for fear of my mother's reaction, I was very afraid of her and had reason to be). I remember wanting to move to those caves in France where modern people live the stone-age life. I also wanted to be an astronaut (what kid doesn't?).
I played alot with Lego I remember, that special pain you get by stepping on a Lego, nostalgia...I remember trying to build large, complex creations, normally with a violent undertone. Also at the age of four and onward I played alot of computergames, something which I have never to this day stopped. I loved my childhood, I did what I wanted to do, I played with what I wanted to and never cared what others thought of me. Something which I find more difficult now.
I'm too old for legos. I think they had been invented they just weren't sold in the US then. I had lincoln logs (less good) and lots of blocks. Played with blocks constantly.
--Jay
I had some of both typical toys, barbies and toy cars, stuffed animals and legos. I really loved dinosaurs and science related things though. Anything with dinosaurs, the scarier, the better. XD
Unfortunately I got hit hard with my family assuming that I was as boyish as possible due to my toys. I always played with Hot Wheels and die cast models of cars. Just about as soon as I could walk I helped my brothers and dad work on their cars. Couldn't read but if you asked me to grab a 10mm deep 1/4" socket I gave you exactly that. My first word has long been rumored to be Audi (my dad had an '84 Audi). And I believe I was the only 8 year old with a supped-up Power Wheels. It was a '76 Mercedes 240, tan. It had rubber tires, four speeds, and was powered by a starter motor for a GM 350ci. It was so awesome. Wasn't too dangerous but it went pretty fast.
I never played with any what is considered to be female toys. Unless you class destroying my sisters barbie dolls as playing :P I was always playing with any and every kind of army or police toys anything that had to do with guns.until.my teens then I went in to a model building phase but even then they were all military planes and tanks and stuff
I had so many stuffed animals (still do), I played with Barbies, Polly Pocket, Playmobil, Legos, Tinker Toys, those cardboard brick things...
I played with a lot of stereotypical feminine toys, but I also played with a fair amount of stereotypical masculine toys. Perhaps that was because I have a brother.
I still have lots of stereotypical feminine things, such as a few Beanie Babies, model horses and fairies, but I also have swords, a guitar, beer steins...
I think what you played with more defines you, but the past you. The past you can be similar to the now you, or can be completely different. People live their lives and change accordingly, you know?
I don't think it does, either. Toys being "gendered" is pretty silly to begin with, if you ask me.
As a child, I played mostly boy's toys, but that was because that was what I was given. In reality, I couldn't understand why the boys always hated Barbies and dolls. My parents bought me a log cabin 'dollhouse' with was pretty much a dollhouse for boys. lol. I loved it and played with it as any girl would.
I loved and still love playing video games as well. I've never been into the violent type of games, though. And the instant Pokemon started allowing us to be female (which would have been about when I was 12), I chose female trainers and never looked back!