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just wanted to start off by saying - that my presentation might be a little different to yours - feel like I've had a bit of an advantage over everyone - but due to the way i let the course write suddenly and with extenuating circumstances in place -
I was given the opportunity to take my Cop project through that I started last year. - which i was happy to do since i really enjoyed exploring the subject. - but feel like i didn't delve into the many of the issues that i wanted to. I hope to take it in a new direction this year.
my question - outline of essay. Hardly had anything for The practical side of the project - had lots of ideas but was rushing my execution of them - and so really wanted to strip that back again - and get some advice on if i should take it in the direction I'm planning.
Found it a really interesting subject to explore - learnt a lot. - too many areas of focus to write about and i still need to cut it down! 9,000 words… 2) My key arguments / points of the essay. -
Ive supported both sides with research and references - but primarily have ended up arguing from a sociological perspective -
- main influence for that - were the documentaries which i found really interesting - interviews/ studies/documentation - i found it really surprising - the extent that the environment and ones upbringing and societies perceptions of gender - can really impact and inform gendered behaviour. - quite shocking how little scientific evidence their seems to be. - and how many influences in day to day life - such as parents / schools / peers and media - all play a role in how we perform gender.
3) Product research - childrens toys content of the essay has been backed up by lots of research. Secondary & primary research. into childrens toys what i found: pink blue divide in children’s toys is everywhere. it has infiltrated so many toy brands over the years - and the media - it never used to be pushed to this extent - but the idea that boys like blue and girls like pink - has just been oversensationaliepd for financial profit.
- Its becoming more and more obvious to me how much of power the pink/blue divide has over consumer choices. it never used to exist, but now dictates to children what they should and shouldn't be interested in.
Colour is not the only tool used to segregate gender here. - I have noticed a particular divide in how each gender is portrayed. Generally speaking:
- boys / male characters taking on action based roles - the Cars display for example. // male superheroes.
- girls / female characters being princess / focus on beauty and / cooking / baking
- although I have noticed some exceptions around the store.
divide in roles - impact on career - gender neutrality is emerging / employed by some - but its still overpowered. you can’t seem to escape the pink and blue divide!
- its not about saying that girls cant like pink and boys cant like blue - but the problem is with forcing these ideals on them - and not giving them the opportunity to explore and dscivouef their interests for themselves - the way toy stores are set up mean that their interests end up being dictated by colour
4) Companies / people who support gender neutrality and advocate it.
Over recent years there has been a real surge in gender neutrality - more people - companies and toy stores are embracing it.
- many campaigns have arose which aim to break down gender stereotypes:
- Let toys be toys - argue that through play, children should have the freedom to explore and naturally develop their own interests away from social pressures.They encourage diversity and variety within toy stores, pink stinks - exposing the negatives of overly gendering children’s toys, are also working on promoting the positives of gender neutrality. - they would like to see the media - taking responsibility for the misrepresentation and narrow definitions of girls/women, and ask people to consider the repercussions that we see as strongly linking to pink culture.’
- the mask you live in - raised many issues surrounding the suppression of male emotion - and how detrimental effect that can have on their mentality.
- sweden have introduced a gender neutral pronoun - word is embracing gender neutrality.
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Had a positive affect - Toy stores changing labels - Hamleys / harrords
aiming to stop manipulation by removing labels - leaving more choice for children - less peiogioned holed by their gender.
toys themselves are also changing changing! childrens books - through narrative encourage children to step outside of society very defined and limiting definitions of gender.
role reversals. - boys encouraged to be sensitive and engage with activities typically described as being more feminine. // girls encourage to be stronger and more adventurous.
lego - once gender neutral - were criticised a few years ago for hyper masculine and feminine products - but they have since taken on board the back lash and reinvented the way they are marketing their products - going back to more gender inclusive toys - female scientist set.
products that are completely gender neutral - don't feature gender at all!!
advertising is also changing and becoming more gender inclusive.
however still a long way to go - despite removing labels the pink / blue divide still heavily exists. dominating shelves. - needs to be more gender neutral products it seems to initiate more of a change!
6) Practical Ideas. Practical proposal 2 - outline key interests raise awareness for issues through story telling / enjoy childrens book illustration… - As my essay quite quickly developed in favour of gender neutrality as a concept - I
- Knew quite early on that I wanted my practical to change peoples perceptions of gender, and challenge societies gender expectations of men and woman. I liked the idea of developing an outcome that will educate and inform.
- Considered who I would be communicating this to? - parents? teachers? teenagers?
- decided on preschool age - 4/5 year olds. backed up by research - which suggests that this is an age where children - they are most susceptible to - and constantly forming opinions of the world around them. - an age where you could encourgarage them that their gender holds no limitations - before society really takes hold of their mind….
- subject - drawn to - Job roles for men and woman. - still a massive imbalance in the work place - and from my research - its shocking how many young children feel their career roles are limited by their gender. - -communicate a positive message by - reverse typical job roles - let children know that their gender holds no limitations. - male nurse/female astranaught / scientist - Colour will be important - gender neutral tones? or is it about reinventing pink and blue?? Character design - is something that all these artists are really successful in. - Will be one of the most challenging aspects of my practical development.
- will gain feedback along the way in response to my initial sketches. - potentially from not only my peers, but from my young target audience.
- I am considering mono print and lino cut which i have really enjoyed previously - don't want to loose that skill / find the easy way out through digital imagery. - you dont get the same quality as doing something in print form! - Also really love the use of coloured pencil - like some of these artists - lizzie Stewert. something about it that has a very childlike quality. 7&8) once i know it was a young target audience - continued my research into childrens books specifically ones with an educational aspect to look at different methods of communicating. - about finding a balance - for a young target audience - it is primary through imagery - got to be smart. - really like these Interactive books.
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3D / Interactive aspect appealing. - To keep the attention of young children - I think this aspect has been really successful in the examples i have looked at // engaging /playful - play around with scale / materials / tactile elements
started to play around with 3D myself. flexicubes
flexagons - interesting way of story telling.
*Flip book // concertina either side alternating between male/female. - considered how my subject of gender job roles could work to be combined with the flexagons - almost like a flip book - could flip between characters - between men and woman doing the same job…. some text as well but wouldn't overpower the imagery.
9) Other approaches to the practical that I have considered - coming from a more conceptual perspective. which could be aimed at adults or children. - producing editorial pieces // or prints to communicate the harmful affects of overly genderizing childrens toys.- or is it about creating a series of prints? that make children aware of issues such as job roles? - on a broader scale - images that depict societies control and influence over our perceptions of gender. - but ultimatly, i think that the concept of a book / which has an engaging and interactive aspect will communicate what i am trying to say on a more intimate level - without being too forceful as a stand alone print might be / - its more about a journey - something they can spend time with rather than a shocking/stand alone bold print - resonate better with a young audience. 10)
I have selected the following childrens book illustrations - because they all possess a really striking visual quality that i think appeals so significantly to children., with a strong emphasis on playful imagery, colour, shape and texture - i think these illustrators are really successful in creating work that resonates strongly with their target audience. Moving forward with my practical work - i need to be really considerate of the type of imagery i am creating - and the media / processes that i use. really want to push the process - spend time developing it. I really need to capture the attention of my young target audience. I want them to connect and engage with the imagery i am creating - especially if I am to alter / inform their perceptions surrounding gender. / needs to have a strong impact.
11) Watch: No More Boys and Girls: Can Kids Go Gender Free? BBC - to gain further insight into the effects of a gender neutral teaching environment. - what experience and practices are implemented? how successful? what can i learn from these and can i bring anything into my own work? A summery of further research activities to be undertaken: Primary Research: - Write questionnaire for teachers and adults - to what extent are their teaching / parenting styles informing children’s perceptions of gender? - Visit Huntington Primary school, York. - Questionnaire for children. - interact with and speak to my target audience. - discover first hand what toys appeal to boys and girls, and their opinions surrounding gender. Practical - Respond to research visually!! - Start developing engaging characters. - Explore print and texture - push the process. - Continue 3D interactive exploration. extensive practical research needed. - developing relatable characters - gain feedback from not only peers/tutors but with target audience along the way - has to resonate with the imagery.