Let Toys Be Toys: The Science and Ethics of Gendered Toy Marketing

Cordelia Fine (University of Melbourne)

The gendered marketing of toys is under considerable scrutiny, with consumer-led campaigns against it invariably giving rise to vigorous debates. Critics argue that gendered toy marketing is socially and developmentally harmful; defenders see it as reflecting and responding to boys’ and girls’ fundamentally different interests. In this talk, based on work co-authored with Charles Sturt University philosopher Emma Rush, I’ll explore how science can illuminate the debate, and what it means for the ethical status of gendered toy marketing.

Registration for this event will be opened on February 15, 2016.