Would you guys consider Star Wars as a theme to be "boyish" or gender neutral?

 

We are considering setting up our Nursery with a Star Wars theme, however we won't know the sex of the baby for awhile.

 

I feel that Star Wars is gender neutral, my wife disagrees and feels it's very male driven and would make no sense for a girl.

 

Thoughts?

No one?

Maybe you should show her the story about the little girl bullied at school for liking Star Wars, and how all the women fans came to defend her.

Definitely "boyish". All of the main action characters in the movies are guys. Leia is definitely in a support role.

 

I suspect that wookies and droids would appeal more to boys, especially at a young age.

Definitely "boyish". All of the main action characters in the movies are guys. Leia is definitely in a support role.

 

I suspect that wookies and droids would appeal more to boys, especially at a young age.

 

Natalie Portman plays a pretty decent role in the newer movies and on Cartoon Network, the show, "The Clone Wars", revolves at least partially around a female protagonist.

Maybe you should show her the story about the little girl bullied at school for liking Star Wars, and how all the women fans came to defend her.

 

More then just the women fans. Heard she appeared at a con and had a tropper escort or such improtu in her honor.

 

I think the general feeling is that it is boyish however I think it can work to be gender neutral. As a geek I wouldn't think much of it so long as the kid actually saw star wars and it didn't appear just to be "mom and daddy dress me this way for geek points".

Natalie Portman plays a pretty decent role in the newer movies and on Cartoon Network, the show, "The Clone Wars", revolves at least partially around a female protagonist.

 

But even with all of that, the OP is talking about a kid. Kids tend to think very linear and in black and white concepts.

 

Kids will tend to focus on people running around with lightsabers and blasters, and most of them, by far, are guys.

 

How many times do you see Leia dressed in a slave costume, compared to her with a blaster?

 

If the OP spent time and effort, he could focus on the female characters and what they accomplish. That could be one way to do it.

Edited December 28, 2011 by rajahkhan

i would say that it's more boyish than girlish. Obviously there are girls that like star wars but it tends to be mainly boys.

 

It's not because it doesn't have a lot of female heroism or characters. I just think the content suits boys more.

 

For example Lord of the Rings doesn't have a lot of female heroism or characters either but the the content is more gender neutral in my eyes than star wars.

 

then again it might be just our society and how we've been brought up that makes us think this way.

 

If you are going ahead with it i would suggest jawas and ewoks !!

Edited December 28, 2011 by Smithie

Kinda depends on what sort of values you're trying to teach your child. It would seem to me that ruling out Star Wars simply because your wife feels it's not in line with what's properly "female" (assuming you have a girl) buys into Hollywood's idea that men are more suitable as action figures. I'm not a parent yet, so I'm not really qualified to give you advice on the subject, but this seems like pigeon-holing your child before he or she is even born.

 

On the other hand, psychology studies have shown that even in the most neutral of environments, boys do tend toward stereotypically male toys (guns, trucks, etc.) while girls tend towards stereotypically female toys (dolls, etc.). So, I'm guessing that there's a possibility that you have a girl and she has no interest whatsoever in Star Wars, given that it's rather action oriented.

 

Heck, how much does an infant absorb from something like this anyway, I'm wondering? It's not like your kid is going to come out of the womb knowing what an X-Wing is.

 

Maybe you ought to ask a qualified professional (pediatrician, maybe?) if something like that would be appropriate, instead of getting feedback from us?

Edited December 28, 2011 by georgemattson

Of coarse it's gender neutral! And I need no motivation for this claim

Its a mans world!

 

Thoughts?

 

Knowledge.

Edited December 28, 2011 by KnightOfTython

From studying Developmental Psychology in college, honestly the child won't really take much from how a room looks as a baby and is mainly up to the parents. Not to say you should have posters with blood and gore on the walls. I've seen some cute star wars baby stuff in stores and so to fit your original question, I'd say it can be pretty gender neutral although action and sci-fi tends to be viewed as a boyish thing in society. Edited December 28, 2011 by jmasters

Well i actually think some things shouldnt be transformed just to be girl compatible.

 

The cinema scope is an issue for good stories.

 

There is a reason why Anakin and Amidala or LotR Aragorn Arwen is a bit too much and never ment to be by Lucas or Tolkien that way.

 

But cinema revenue works only with girlish elements.

 

Thats why movies never kill books ,cause they not authentic enough with a bunch of fake romance.

Edited December 28, 2011 by KnightOfTython

You aren't actually going to argue with your wife over decorating the nursery? Don't. Just don't.

I feel that Star Wars is gender neutral, my wife disagrees and feels it's very male driven and would make no sense for a girl.

 

Thoughts?

 

Don't try to convince her, women(let alone pregnant women) and logic don't mix.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Malchiro

The Star Wars EU is pretty gender neutral (speaking as a woman), moreso than the two movie trilogies. I feel that there really are not many strong female characters to relate to in the movies. I mean Padme is kinda as good as it got, and even then she makes some really strange decisions and does not really seem all that confident, intelligent, or interesting. The Clone Wars animated series is pretty good, I think Ventress and Aurra Sing are more interesting and likeable than Ashoka.

 

Boys and Girls look for different things, there is a lot for both to like in the Star Wars universe. However it is definitely marketed towards boys.

The more important question is, why is it inappropriate in any way to expose a little girl to something which is "boyish"? Are you planning to ban your little girl from experiencing any media which is not specifically catered to females? If not, then I really don't see the issue.

 

-Macheath.

You aren't actually going to argue with your wife over decorating the nursery? Don't. Just don't.

 

This.