[Fwd: gender bias at Toys R Us]
RTH1 (rth1@nwlink.com)
Tue, 16 Dec 1997 22:34:21 -0800
Hi! My name is Peggy Hotes and I'm an educator living in Bellevue,
Washington. While shopping for a young girl I discovered that all of
the science equipment at Toys R Us is in their blue and navy "boy's"
section of the store. I was ultimately contacted by the company's
customer service representative, Joseph Losos. He told me that there
are two reasons why the science gear is in the boy's area rather than in
the learning aid section. First, he said that the situation is only
happening in the older stores (we must have a lot of those around here).
Second, he said that science equipment is "generally sold for a young
male." (I think this supports my argument).
I'm trying to get some help in changing the attitude at this
major toy store. Frankly, I don't believe that there should be pink and
blue areas in any toy store, and I've found that most of the other
stores don't do this. You might want to contact your local Toys R Us to
see where they locate the science equipment. If you'd like to help you
can reach Mr. Losos:
in New Jersey at (201)262-7800. The address for Toys R Us headquarters
is 461 From Road, Paramus, NJ 07652-3524. If you'd like a copy of his
letter to me just e-mail me.
Sincerely,
Peggy Hotes
rth1@nwlink.com