The secular world is increasingly pushing the blatant “bending” of gender norms—and today’s concerned Christian parents and many others need to be on notice.
Here are three recent developments.
ONE: LEGO Vows to Make Toys ‘Free of Gender Bias and Harmful Stereotypes’
On Monday, Oct. 11, 2021—the U.N.’s “Day of the Girl”—toy giant LEGO declared that it will be working to remove “harmful” gender stereotypes from its line of products because boys are reluctant to play with toys that are marketed toward girls.
The company said it will be making gender-neutral toys from this point onward “to ensure LEGO products and marketing are accessible to all and free of gender bias and harmful stereotypes,” as Breitbart reported.
In a statement, a LEGO spokesperson said in part, “The benefits of creative play such as building confidence, creativity and communication skills are felt by all children and yet we still experience age-old stereotypes that label activities as only being suitable for one specific gender.”
Related: How to Keep Our Kids on Track Today
“At the LEGO Group,” spokesperson Julia Goldin went on, “we know we have a role to play in putting this right, and this campaign is one of several initiatives we are putting in place to raise awareness of the issue and ensure we make LEGO play as inclusive as possible. All children should be able to reach their true creative potential.”
“LEGO, as with many Western brands, has lurched to the left in recent years, with the company reportedly telling retailers to pull advertisements for police-based toys at the height of Black Lives Matter unrest last summer in the wake of the killing of George Floyd,” Breitbart noted as well. “The toymaker also told affiliates to follow the BLM-inspired #BlackOutTuesday social media trend and donated $4 million (£2.83m) to black and anti-racist charities. More recently, in May, LEGO introduced an LGBT-themed ‘Everyone Is Awesome’ toy line [for] Pride Month.”
Here is more information and reaction.
TWO: California Mandates ‘Gender Neutral’ Toy Aisles for Major Retailers
Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who recently survived a recall effort in the Golden State, signed into a law on Saturday a mandate for large retailers to maintain gender-neutral aisles for children’s toys.
The new California law applies to stores with 500 or more employees. It instructs those stores to maintain a gender-neutral area with children’s toys and items—not including clothes—whether or not those items had been traditionally marketed for either boys or girls.
Democratic Assemblyman Evan Low introduced the bill, as Fox Business reported. The new law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2024—and after that point, any store in violation will be fined as much as $250 for the first civil penalty and thereafter, $500 for additional violations.
“We need to stop stigmatizing what’s acceptable for certain genders and just let kids be kids,” Low said to the Associated Press. “My hope is this bill encourages more businesses across California and the U.S. to avoid reinforcing harmful and outdated stereotypes.”
But GOP Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas had quite a quibble with California’s new law: “Not in Texas,” he said.
Check out these tweets for more information and reaction.
THREE: New Superman Is LGBT, According to DC Comics
Here’s how The New York Times subtitled its story about this development related to a “new man of steel”: “The new Superman, the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, is concerned about the environment, does not shy away from politics, and will soon begin a romantic relationship with a male friend.”
The article went on, “‘The idea of replacing Clark Kent with another straight white savior felt like a missed opportunity,’ Tom Taylor, who writes the series, said [to The Times] in an interview. He said that a ‘new Superman had to have new fights—real-world problems—that he could stand up to as one of the most powerful people in the world.’”
The Times continued in its piece, “The coming out of Superman, perhaps the most archetypal American superhero, is a notable moment even in an age when many comics have embraced diversity and are exploring pressing social issues.”
Not everyone feels this is “notable,” to put it mildly.
Here is more information about and reaction to this particular turn of events:
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—By CNJ Staff