SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California on Saturday became the first state to say large department stores must display products like toys and toothbrushes in gender-neutral ways, a win for LGBT advocates who say the pink and blue hues of traditional marketing methods pressure children to conform to gender stereotypes.
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The new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, does not outlaw traditional boys and girls sections at department stores. Instead, it says large stores must also have a gender neutral section to display “a reasonable selection” of items “regardless of whether they have been traditionally marketed for either girls or for boys.”
That does not include clothes. The law only applies to toys and “childcare items,” which include hygiene and teething products. And it only applies to stores with at least 500 employees, meaning small businesses are exempt.
Assemblyman Evan Low, a Democrat from San Jose who authored the bill, said he was “incredibly grateful” Newsom signed the bill this year — the third time Democrats in the state Legislature have tried to pass this law, with similar bills failing in 2019 and 2020.
Low said he was inspired by the 10-year-old girl daughter of one of his staffers, who asked her mom why certain items in the store were “off limits” to her because she was a girl.
“We need to stop stigmatizing what’s acceptable for certain genders and just let kids be kids,” Low said. “My hope is this bill encourages more businesses across California and the U.S. to avoid reinforcing harmful and outdated stereotypes.”
While California is the first state to require this, some large department stores have already changed how they display their products. Target Corp., with 1,915 stores across the United States, announced in 2015 it would stop using some gender-based signs in its stores.
The law was opposed by some Republicans and some conservative groups, who argued the government should not tell parents how to shop for their children.
So proud of California lawmakers
Taking on the big issues plaguing California residents
Kudos
Now next, if they can tackle the issue of making sure street signs are not offensive to people of color and maybe fire all the white cops so the black community feels safer.
Other than that, California is a fantastic place to live. I’m sure the half a million homeless people in CA will be thrilled to see that their local Walmart will have a gender neutral display.
If you ever thought these בהמות reached their peak….
Are they trying to tell me there are men tooth brushes mouth wash and tooth past as there are depress products for women
Nonsenses but what do you expect from the Soviet state of California
Fascistic nutjobs.
>>> …just let kids be kids…
This guy needs a two-week vacation on Lord of the Flies Island.
And it only applies to stores with at least 500 employees, meaning small businesses are exempt.
Guess where I’m going shopping. If I lived in California, anyway.
They already do. It’s called the entire store except clothes
There is hope. Not w that they yes legal for looters to steal up to one thousand dollars without any serious charges,it will empty out these big stores of their insanity. Thumbs up to the looters who empty these insane shelves.
They get what they deserve, they had the chance to boot facistic newsom out, they didnt, they reap what they sow.
You are not an Orthodox Jew if you practice…
Are you an Orthodox Jew if you practice lashon hara and rechilus? I’m not contesting your position on that particular mitzvah. I’m just wondering how one determines which mitzvot are acceptably Orthodox and which justify cherem.
Even Sedom wasn’t this crazy.
I am “g” from LGBT! I wish these morons would stop including me in this idiocy. As a gay oriented Jew who still practices as an orthodox Jew (minus being married and having children, of course) I say that this blurring of genders is obscene! If a girl wants to play with traditionally boy toys and vice versa.. fine with me… but legislating this kind of thinking is the beginning of the end!
Gender needs to be a matter of choice, right?