nonelvis | (no subject)

My niece's fifth birthday was today, but since the family-only party isn't until next week, I spent some time today looking for a birthday card. I know that the children's birthday card selection is probably always going to be dominated by licensed cartoon characters; I find the level of commercialism slightly distasteful, but it doesn't surprise me.

What does tick me off, though again, I'm not surprised by this little issue, is how highly gendered the card selection is. The girls' cards are pink to a fault, and covered with glittery princesses. The boys' are blue and green and have robots and superheroes. This makes me fairly cranky, since I was a girl who had a much-loved Tinkerbell figurine from Disneyworld and a slot car set, and I know my niece is being raised by parents who have no problems with her wearing a tiara and pink tutu while she talks about how much she likes Spider-Man.

But what finally made me stomp out of the card section today was seeing the dinosaur-themed cards were all for boys. What child doesn't like dinosaurs? But no, they're for boys only. RAGE.

However, after I had a brief discussion on Twitter with a few other equally outraged folks,

columbina took one of their ideas and ran with it. Thus, the birthday card my niece will see next week has her in a princess costume riding a velociraptor. As my sister just said to me on Twitter: "If anybody could ride a velociraptor, I predict my daughter will be it."

Screw you, card industry. Dinosaur-riding princesses of the world, unite!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You guys are the best aunt and uncle *ever*.

Aw ♥ I just hope she likes the card! I know her mother does.

That is awesome.

I love it very much.

What child doesn't like dinosaurs? But no, they're for boys only. RAGE.

DUDE. My niece/nephew has not been born yet and one of the books I've got them is "Where's My Dinosaur?" because ALL KIDS LOVE DINOSAURS.

That is an amazing and brilliant card and I am going to remember this so that one day I can be just as awesome an aunt, yes.

See, you got your future niece or nephew that book because you are COMPLETELY SENSIBLE, unlike the greeting card industry. I predict you will be a terrific aunt.

Love it!!!

IKR?

columbina is mystified about why people like it so much, but clearly he is just wrong.

You all should be printing those and selling them on Etsy. I know I'd buy a few.

I'm with you! But I just mentioned this to him, and he made a raspberry noise at me.

If I get laid off I am absolutely going into the gender stereotype-thwarting greeting-card business (although I'd have to find someone else to draw things). Boxing for girls! Tiaras for boys! Dinosaurs for everyone!

Heck, you should go into that business regardless of whether you get laid off. (In your copious spare time, of course.) I'm sure we're not the only ones who want cards like this.

Very nice. I like it!

I hope our niece likes it as much as everyone else does, but I'm pretty sure she will.

Best thing about it is nobody else in the whole wide world will have one like it! She'll be enchanted.

I hope so! Her mother certainly likes it.

YESSSSSSSSSSS

Did you see this response on Tumblr?