The new edition of Toys R Us's "Differently Abled Catalog" Is out. Wow, shockingly a child with Down Syndrome is featured on the cover. I can't even blog, as a mother, an occupational therapist, and an equal rights advocate I am outraged. WHY do so many parents think this is good???
The following is a formal post I made, it sums it up. I am seriously considering the impact of involving the media. This is discrimination in it's highest form and the very people responsible think they are making great humanitarian efforts and perpetuating yet another label on our kids as well as promoting a segregationist mentality among the very people - our children's typical peers - we are struggling to achieve equality and acceptance with.
Post:
I am sorry, but as a mother of a child with Down Syndrome and and Occupational Therapist, I find this catalog extremely offensive and inappropriate. I have looked through them since their inception looking for toys which have been adapted for children with special needs and are therefore worthy of a separate catalog. I have found none. The exact same toys that appear in the usual catalogs are there with beautiful children who have yet another label pinned on them and publicized - by a toy store - "differently abled." Are not all children in fact differently abled? Why not include the icons telling what skills each toy works on (the reason we give any toy to any child) in one big catalog and include models representative of all children? How can we stand for a toy store imposing another label on our children? How does that fit in with our mission here? What message does this catalog send to the families and parents of our children's peers who we are struggling to gain acceptance and equality with? Just because "differently abled" sounds nicer than the "R" word, the outcome is the same. Separate and not equal.
I agree, Geralyn. For the most part, this catalog represents little more than a marketing opportunity for this company. Many of the toys aren't of any notable quality - and as you know - there are very few that are even worth recommending to families. Unfortunately, many people might actually be led to purchase something because they believe some of these toys will improve certain skills. The categories are mostly meaningless. Imagine someone buying a SpongeBob electronic drum set for an adolescent who has gross motor skill deficits because that is what the catalog has recommended. It's rather silly. Parents are better off talking to their therapists and getting recommendations from them.
ReplyDeleteAs for your specific comments about labeling - I also agree. I don't see that this marketing effort serves anyone other than the toy company.
Amen! I say get the media involved. They only put children with Ds on the cover because they "look" different - you never see a kid with autism on the front . . .
ReplyDeleteBeing labeled and separated for looking different is terrible in and of itself. It is so frustrating.
I agree! Involve the media! If we don't stand up against this most insidious type of discrimination who will? Let me know what I can do to back you up!
ReplyDelete