An Ohio mom’s tweet gained popularity in 2015 for calling out Target’s gendered toy aisles — specifically a sign distinguishing “Building Sets” from “Girls’ Building Sets,” implying the former was meant for boys only.

Just two months after the tweet, Target announced the corporation was moving away from gender-based signs and merging the boys and girls toys sections due to complaints from patrons.

It’s been six years since Target’s change, and now, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law forcing large retailers to implement changes that promote gender-neutral children’s toy aisles.

Jeanie Viveros, the owner of Tiddlywinks, a local toy and games store in Orange, believes that children will naturally gravitate toward whatever toys they want, regardless of gender.

“Most of our parents are very gender-neutral,” Viveros said. “We market ourselves based on what our customers have asked for and what preferences we see. A child is going to veer toward whatever they like, and I think so many parents now are so open to letting them do that.”

Similar to Target — which has a gender-neutral shopping option on its website — Tiddlywinks’ website and store shelves are all marketed in a genderless manner, with the exception of clothes, which have three different options: girls’ apparel, boys’ apparel and gender-neutral clothing. The rest of the selection is organized either by category, brand or age.

“For us, it’s what the value of the toy is to the child,” Viveros said. “We’re really big on sensory (toys) and building dexterity skills and problem-solving and things like that — that’s how we categorize our store. We always combine art and science together, because we have a lot of girls that are really into science and a lot of boys that are really into art.”

Viveros said when parents come into the store, the employees always ask about age and never about gender.

“We show them everything we have that could possibly benefit that child at that age,” Viveros said. “That’s just how we are structured. It’s all about how we can benefit the child themselves, not necessarily what that child traditionally (should) have.”

Arleen Bejerano, a Chapman University professor who teaches a gender and communication class, emphasized the bill is a step in the right direction.

“I think it gives parents, and also children, choices and more freedom in terms of what toys children play with,” Bejerano said. “I think it also helps break down those stereotypes in terms of what boys and girls are supposed to play with.”

The bill, which was introduced by Assembly members Evan Low (D-Campbell) and Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), creates guidelines for California department stores with more than 500 employees. These retailers must create gender-neutral toy aisles, whether or not the toys displayed in the aisle are marketed to girls or boys. 

“I know some people are going to feel that pressure more than others, but for those who are non-binary, for example, this will be a lot easier for them to choose toys they want that may not necessarily align with the sex they were assigned at birth, or maybe there’s less pressure to choose certain toys,” Bejerano said.

However, stores will not be forced to eliminate existing aisles that traditionally market to a specific gender. Retailers that fail to create the third gender-neutral option will face a $250 fine for the first offense and a $500 fine for any subsequent violation, starting on Jan. 1, 2024.

“Our new California law has been called symbolic in many ways,” Low tweeted. “But, the media in other countries are now reporting how California is re-examining the way gendered toy sections reinforce negative stigma (and) stereotypes on children. We are opening (eyes, hearts and minds).”

However, many people have taken to social media arguing the bill does not address the root of the problem.

Kiara Jackson, a senior strategic and corporate communication major, said the new law is a good first step, but it isn’t going to solve any problems. Specifically, Jackson said while adding a gender neutral toy section is helpful, since the bill does not require the elimination of the two traditionally gendered toy sections, it doesn’t fully help the issue.

“I feel like there should just be the gender-neutral section,” Jackson said. “It can literally just be a toy section. I don’t think there needs to be gender tied to a toy. It’s a truck or it’s a Barbie doll; I don’t think it needs to be for a specific sex or gender.”

Some people argue an approach more akin to Tiddlywinks’ and Target’s is more helpful than creating a third gender-neutral section in stores.

“California signing a law to make a whole separate toy aisle for ‘gender-neutral’ options instead of just, I don’t know, organizing them by age instead just shows how well-meaning politics is still bullshit,” one Twitter user wrote.

Other users argue creating a third-gender toy aisle will further reinforce gender stereotypes or simply confuse children on the concept of gender. Instead, people argue that toys are already gender neutral and parents should let their kids play with whichever toys they want instead of forcing traditional gender stereotypes. 

Christina Brown — a psychologist and author of several books, including her 2014 guide “Parenting Beyond Pink and Blue” — tweeted two reasons why the new California law is an important change.

“Marketing … is an important message to kids about what they should play with,” Brown tweeted. “Often the color or label is more important than the actual toy. This means labels and color coding tell some kids to avoid toys they might otherwise be interested in. That restricts what kids can and will play with (and) limits what kids learn. Play is learning, and learning should be broad.”

Jackson also emphasized the new bill is a great beginning for California. 

“Ten years ago, there’s no way this would fly,” Jackson said. “This is something I don’t think would have been possible just a handful of years ago. We are a lot more open about conversations regarding gender and sex today.”