Things that make me weep

My daughter is about to turn two. She is bright, precocious, sweet, bubbly and my bright little ray of sunshine. Her creative talents are already abundantly evident, she takes no guff from her older brother, and she is very adamant about her reading selections, her clothing selections and that peas are yucky. Stubborn, determined and a very resourceful little creature. I love her to pieces. I want her to grow up knowing that she is as smart as any boy, that she can play with cars and blocks, and that there is so much more to life than clothes, make-up and boys. But could someone please tell me how to do that when a line of dolls called 'Bratz' is everywhere?

I've just come from the toy store shopping for birthday presents. After and hour and a half, I left nearly in tears, without much to show for my efforts. I cannot bring myself to spend money on toys that I find fundamentaly offensive and disturbing. When did Barbie become a whore? I know that feminists have always railed against Barbie's impossible figure, her ditzy blond image and seemingly insatiable need for the latest designer fashions. But all of that seems tame compared to the fact that Barbie now comes in a 'Bling Bling' version, and is seriously made out to look like some street walker. The girls section of the toy store is awash in pink, and contains nothing more than kitchen appliances, babies that need to be changed, and miniature versions of household cleaning products. Oh, and the bevy of whores.

While I have no problem with little girls playing with dolls or vacuums (my daughter loves both), it is the absolute paucity of other choices that makes me weep. I grew up in the shadow of the early feminists, and believed that I could become anything I wanted. In grade 6 it was a paleontologist, in grade 7 an Egyptologist, and in high school it was a professional classical musician. I also had fleeting thoughts about becoming a research scientist, an NHL goalie, a foreign correspondent, and an interpreter. For some reason I thought that we had come far enough as a culture that my daughter wouldn't have to face the sexism about career choices and identity formation that my generation did. Walking through a toy store makes you realize that girls today face all the same stereotypes and enforced limitations that my generation did. Even the layout of the store is offensive. Sports equipment, like soccer balls, badminton sets and Nerf guns, are positioned such that they are part of the 'boys' area. Apparently girls aren't supposed to sweat. And we wonder why they grow up with so many body image issues.

And I still don't know what to get my little girl for her birthday...