September
2010
Easy Bake Oven55
I am going to discuss how the toy, Easy Bake Oven, reflects gender norms and expectations in our society. The Easy Bake oven is meant to be a fun method of introducing children to cooking at an early age. However the Easy Bake Oven, invented in the 60s, truly reflects the ideals of its time. The 60s were a time when the ideal American family consisted of a working husband, a stay-at-home housewife, and obedient children. This ideal image is still in play today, but it was much stronger at the time that the easy bake oven was invented. The Easy Bake oven strongly reflects the norm that women should stay at home and be fully responsible for cooking and cleaning.
One could argue that the Easy Bake Oven is intended to teach all children how to cook, male or female, however the methods of advertising make it more than clear that the Easy Bake Oven is meant to cater to a female audience. The Easy Bake oven is pink, which is associated with femininity in our society. The Easy Bake Oven is also advertised in our media by young girls instead of young boys, such as in commercials and packaging.
