Guys and Dolls: Reducing Gender Stereotypes in Your Home
By JaeCurtis

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/gender-stereotypes-kids/

These days, it's practically a cultural habit to hand your son a toy car and buy your daughter dolls to play with, perpetuating the gender stereotypes that society deems as "normal" for girls and boys. But what happens if your son would rather dress to the nines in play clothes, and your daughter obsesses over action figures?

A 2009 study from psychology research journal "Sex Roles" found that 31 percent of "girl" toys are marketed toward a girl's appearance, such as plastic make-up and princess dresses, while 46 percent of "boy" toys appeal to a boy's traits and activities, such as a chemistry set or a football. Essentially, these gender-biased playthings teach children to define a girl based on her looks, while describing a boy based on his actions.

The same study shows that children begin to understand gender roles early—as young as 30 months of age!