Marks & Spencer is at the centre of a new sexism row for its decision to aim a range of dinosaur-themed children’s clothes — in partnership with the Natural History Museum — only at boys.
Campaigners complained that the items, including pyjamas and T-shirts, are setting “gender stereotypes” in children at an age when both sexes should be encouraged to become interested in natural history.
The Let Clothes Be Clothes campaign group’s co-founder Ruth Lopardo said: “I was astounded a national museum, which ought to have a clear access-for-all policy, should license designs to M&S that are only marketed at boys.
“How have these two national institutions, M&S and the Natural History Museum, managed to get through the entire product development cycle, from the initial idea to the product on the shelf, without anyone thinking that perhaps dinosaurs and natural science don’t just appeal to boys?”
Engineer Sasha Roberts, a member of Women In Science and Engineering’s young women’s board, said: “As a society we still insist on dressing our girls in pink and filling their bedrooms with dolls and ‘pretty things’ while our boys run around in blue dinosaur T-shirts playing with their footballs and cars.
“By enforcing these stereotypes on children so young we risk inadvertently turning away the next generation of male primary school teachers or female engineers before they’ve even realised they’re interested.”
The row comes a year after M&S agreed to change the packaging of its toys to be gender neutral after parents and the Let Toys Be Toys campaign group said it was creating stereotypes.
In a letter to LCBC, the Natural History Museum said staff “will contact Marks & Spencer and do our best to work with the company to ensure the range is accessible to all children”.
A customer services employee at M&S also told them: “As a science enthusiast myself, I’m also a little unhappy to see the range only caters for boys. Please be aware therefore I have passed your comments to our kidswear team.”
An M&S spokeswoman told the Standard: “This is a brand new partnership and, as with any new range, we have listened carefully to feedback from our customers on how they would like to see it evolve.
“Our design team is working with the Natural History Mus- eum on expanding the range to include products for girls.”
Argos faced “racism” accusations today after selling white dolls for £10 more than their equivalent £24.99 black and Asian ones. The chain store apologised and blamed “a genuine online pricing error”. It added: “We are urgently rectifying this and can confirm all three dolls will be priced at £24.99.”
