On Wednesday, on the “fourth hour” of the Today show, hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb discussed Dr. Phil’s opinion that boys should not play with girl toys. While Kathie Lee and Hoda disagreed with Dr. Phil, not all of their viewers did. Their poll question of the day was:
“Is it okay for boys to play with Barbies?”
63.1% said yes (955 voters)
29.6% said no (448 voters)
7.3% were undecided (111 voters)
Now, I’m no mathematician, but I don’t like those numbers.
These two broads can come over anytime to play Barbies with C.J.
Check out these quotes from people who feel that boys should not be allowed to play with Barbies. They bug me.
“Baby dolls, absolutely. Barbie dolls? Redirect to something that doesn’t scream drag queen.” – Baba
“If by playing you mean ripping his sister’s barbies to shreds with tools he stole from dad’s workshed, sure. Redirection is in order for this situation. Get out the rescue hero guys or the lincoln logs for him to build barbie a summer home.” – Nate
“Definitely NOT!!!!!!! that’s why (there are) so many FREAKS in the world now…boys shouldn’t play with any Female dolls…ok nothing wrong with GI Joe cause they don’t have hair 1st of all and they are skinny lil men. Barbie (has) female parts and have hair and make up.” – Monique
“Boys should play with action figures and girls should play with dolls.” – Derrell
“There is too much ‘feminism of America’ and I admire my husband for his masculinity…boys should be ‘taught’ masculinity!” – Jan
Here are comments from people – who are fabulous like me – and think that boys should be allowed to play with Barbies.
“For goodness sake let children be children. If they play with Barbie or GI Joe does it really matter?” – Karen
“If you try to suppress your child’s interests @ a young age, you may be doing harm for them in the future. Absolutely! Gender is a social construct and there is no reason to limit our children’s expressions and creativity.” – Jenn
“People who say no are just being homophobic.” – Rob
“i was a jock all thru school. i do all the remodeling work on my house, go to the gym , never played with barbies or dresses, i’m gay.” –Rob Bob
“The idea that toys are gender specific is outdated and offensive. Instead of teaching compliance we should be focusing on acceptance.” – Beth
“I found it interesting that so many replies to this question were wallowing in veiled fear of homosexuality. I teach nursery school, and find that your statement is correct. Most children don’t have a problem until someone else slaps a label of “wrong” on what they’re doing. In general, play is a major vehicle for a child to discover his world, and they have a heck of a good time exploring it all. A boy can learn so many positive things by playing with a doll. Gentleness, protectiveness, aspects of caregiving and responsibility for a “little” person. These things don’t make him Gay, they make him a potentially good member of an adult society…” – E.S.
Raising My Rainbow 
I was given a Barbie doll for my birthday by one of my siblings and I still hold onto her because in the end it made me realize that anyone can play with what they want if a boy wants a Barbie to be a girlfriend to his go joe go for it.
I think that anyone can play with dolls its just a piece of plastic,its just the same as an army man just dress it in army clothing.
If parents say no then thats just going to cause them to over collect in the future when they can get one and its fine having a doll let peopel be who they want to be.
I love Barbie, Bratz, Monster High, and Ever After High; I want to get all of the Barbie Style Glam Luxe, Bratz All Glammed Up, Bratz Catz, other Bratz dolls, Monster High, and Ever After High dolls because they are FABULOUSLY FASHIONABLE! I also have a girlfriend named Roxy and I am not bisexual just because I am straight and like dolls.
You should not be judged or labeled as gay just because you like dolls. These people are homophobes and bullies with a low self esteem that only feel happy when they lower other people’s self esteem.
I think that boys should be allowed to play with Barbie, Bratz, and Monster High dolls without having to worry about other people calling them homosexual.
those antidolos comments, deard lod and the too much femnism! i’m sorry how does playing with barbies make you less of a man or less masclunine ? how does playing sports make you less feminne. girls can love dresses and fashion but also like sports and video games. boys can like sports but also like playing in the dramatic house centre. also on the note of masculnity, it is not part of mascunlity to disrespect a women!
Pingback: Gendered Toys? Define Gender | ThinkIts
Those people don’t know what they are talking about. I believe that 63% is a good number, it’s definitely higher then the 29% that said they shouldn’t. I think that today’s society, or at least when C.J will be in middle school things will be better. We can only hope for a better place where everyone is accepting of everything living.
First off, Dr. Phil says what his conservative audience wants to hear. Secondly, I wouldn’t put too much stock into a poll on a morning “news” (and I use that term very lightly) program where less than 2000 people answered. That’s not a accurate representation of America. That’s also how right wing Christian groups do surveys and tout that America wants gays to go to reparative therapy camps. Lastly, I love reading your blog and I think that what you are doing is amazing, and I wish that more parents would take your example and decide that their possibly gay kid is just fine the way they are.
Hi, I’ve been reading your series on Queerty and responding there. For one, I’d like to applaud your determination to let your son do as he pleases, no matter what others say or think. For two, doesn’t mean he’s gay. I’m a lesbian and I loved dolls as a kid. I am not particularly feminine as a woman(I don’t even own a dress, not one!) but not all that masculine either. Society’s stereotypes are silly. CJ is three years old. Kids that age don’t even have much, if any, concept of what gender specific clothing, toys, or behavior is. That is very much a learned concept. Don’t worry if he is gay or straight(which it is obvious that you don’t care about that)…just love him as he is. You seem to be doing a great job of that.
And Dr. Phil is a quack. I feel for the people who actually take his advice. And the posters here who criticize boys playing with dolls or other ‘girl’ toys are homophobic pricks. Highly disturbing that someone would rather their son rip up someone else’s Barbies than play with his own. Violence is preferable to a harmless toy? Please don’t let this person be a parent! Again, keep up the blogging and great mothering. I posted more detailed posts/questions in the post about CJ’s brother’s reactions on Queerty if you are interested.
Definitely NOT!!!!!!! that’s why (there are) so many FREAKS in the world now…boys shouldn’t play with any Female dolls…ok nothing wrong with GI Joe cause they don’t have hair 1st of all and they are skinny lil men. Barbie (has) female parts and have hair and make up.” – Monique
Umm from what I remember when me and my first boyfriend were playing around with his little brothers gi joe, gi Joe didn’t have boy parts either he was as bald down there as barbie was and ken was bald too
“If by playing you mean ripping his sister’s barbies to shreds with tools he stole from dad’s workshed, sure. Redirection is in order for this situation. Get out the rescue hero guys or the lincoln logs for him to build barbie a summer home.” – Nate
So, your child can’t play with dolls but they can play with sharp tools he stole from dad’s shed? Also, he’s going into/stealing from dad’s shed without adult supervision- and this appears to be encouraged? Wow. Fantastic parenting.
I have to wonder if those who seem most upset at the thought of boys playing with ‘girl toys’ secretly wished they’d been allowed to play with toys meant for the opposite gender when they were children.
Wow – the ‘anti-doll’ faction people certainly reveal enough information about themselves that any sane person reading can only hope these people never have children themselves. Nate’s comment that “ripping his sister’s barbies to shreds with tools he stole from dad’s workshop” would be acceptable behavior for a boy is particularly disturbing for its implicit endorsement of misogyny, which according to most of these people who agree with Dr. Phil, is the only appropriate attitude for young males in our society. Not to mention the fact that he’d rather have a son who has no concept of respect for other people’s property (and has serious issues with aggression) than one who played with Barbies (or more to the point, one who he might have reason to suspect may be gay when he grows up…)
“The idea that toys are gender specific is outdated and offensive. Instead of teaching compliance we should be focusing on acceptance.” – Beth
I love this. THIS is what I would’ve commented on your blog if Beth hadn’t beat me to it on GMA!