Swedish toy catalogue defies gender roles

Source: The Local | Oliver Gee

A new Swedish toy catalogue has reversed the traditional gender roles by showing Spiderman pushing a pram, and a young girl riding a toy racecar.

Kaj Wiberg is the CEO of the company behind the catalogue, "Leklust", and claims that it is time to move forward from old-fashioned gender restrictions.

"Gender roles are an outdated thing," he told Metro newspaper.

In the catalogue, on a predominantly pink page full of dolls and prams, a child dressed as spiderman can be seen pushing a pink pram.

On another page, a blonde-haired girl with rolled up sleeves is pedalling what appears to be a racing vehicle.

Elsewhere, the catalogue features another boy standing in front of a toy stove, apparently cooking a make-believe meal.

"I'm 71 years old, and those of us who have worked in this industry for a while know that boys play with doll houses. We know that boys can play with Barbie dolls," Wiberg told the paper.

The pictures from the catalogue have been making the rounds online via various social media channels, including one prominent Swedish feminist blog "Lady Dahmer".

Lady Dahmer shot to fame earlier this month after taking the reins of Sweden's official Twitter account and challenging people's preconceptions about breastfeeding, gender roles, and Swedish society.

She posted the pictures with the comment:

"Leklust is leading by example - send them an encouraging email!"

She has received over one hundred comments about the pictures, and her blog entry has been shared hundreds of times of Facebook.

"Lady Dahmer" told the paper that encouragement will lead to positive change.

Meanwhile, an employee at a Leklust factory beamed about the positive reaction.

"We love the idea, and we think it's really fun," she told The Local.

Leklust toys are available at 18 stores around Sweden.

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