Kitchen Toys

Throughout time cooking has been very much linked to the female figure. Women’s role was to stay away from any other family matter than nursing and nurturing. I believe that’s where the chauvinist phrase "Women are meant to be within the kitchen and only the kitchen" came from. History tells us about this matter quite a bit more, letting us know about female roles within direction positions in Early times of Civilization. This new and interesting power feature reappeared in the early middle Ages, for women’s role in the constitution of heritage lines and alliances was key, and all major Lords, Counts, Barons, etc. accessed their nobility titles by marring a woman with more power than them. During the French Revolution, women were not in the kitchen as many would have thought, they were fighting side by side with other important men. Even when the world begun to become more and more industrialized men and women worked side by side, though women ‘s wages were infinitely less than men -which already was a misery-. As our Contemporary world began to develop at a higher rate and the industrial societies together with the declaration of men’s rights set the ground for our societies to evolve, women were once again left aside the "official" history as they were "put" once again back to the kitchen. But that was not what it happened. The 1920s women are remembered for their open and controversial public positions, political decisions, etc. During the war women have had an important role too. As the twentieth century evolved there were some other significant changes in women’s roles in society, all of which burst during the 60s-70s. Take for example Argentina, Eva Peron and her husband, have an important page within women’s history, for they were the ones who gave women their right in a democratic society: voice and power:
votes.

But all these major accomplishments throughout history seem to fade away the second after a 1950s advertisement appears, with the lovely-do-it-all wife in her kitchen. Back then, women were sent, once again back to the kitchen and this time not only grown up women. Young girls have always been set on the same place as their mothers or fellow women, they learnt to knit, to cook, to recite poetry -those who were very lucky. Throughout times, kids emulated their parents working according to their age and capabilities. However, modern society and the very new idea of childhood swept that way, and kids began to experience a time in life were playing and enjoyment was what occupied most of their time. But, once more, thought times have changed, the very essence remains. Kitchen batteries, mini ovens, plastic cakes, etc, are some of the most common girl toys. The major boom was during the 50s. The 60s -70s and women liberation had a somewhat funny impact in these sort of toys. The female Barbie like figure was often replaced by a kind female Robot, as in the Jetsons’ family. Many Japanese robots who were mainly for boys incorporated a female figure, once more linked to the kitchen duties.

The evolution within these kind of toys has been amazing. The early kitchen ware was rustic and elementary. Soon Strawbery Short Cake would amaze us all with a variety of innovative and gorgeous items, and a broad list of options to choose from.

I wish the reader does not get me wrong, there’s absolutely no problem with cooking, or even the kitchen as a room/ place. As a matter of fact I adore eating well prepared food, and the kitchen is one of my favorite places in the house. Even more, during the last 30 years, cooking has become a chick thing to do, even more these days, when culinary schools and chef’s academies are a prestigious career choice. The intention of this article is to call upon the attention of the bond between toys and roles in society. Much has been said about the unnatural look of the perfect model doll Barbie and her unrealistic appearance. But when it comes down to career choices, Barbie has evolved, she’s not only a model, she’s a veterinarian, an architect among many other career choices she has made throughout time. It looks like in spite of the fact that Barbie is not such a good wife and mother that nurses and nourishes, there were millions of less known role models that impacted as greatly as the blond goddess.

If you have any comments I would be very much interested, please feel free to email me, thank you for reading, Bob Frassinetti

Roberto Dario Frassinetti.
Buenos Aires, Argentina