When I was little (~8), I got extremely angry and depressed about how all the good toys were for boys. I gave away my stupid barbies, which were “for little kids,” and fought my brother to play with his legos. I was very angry that the legos for girls were super lame: there were no pink spaceships.

I definitely liked bright colors and sparkles, but I mainly wanted to build and create things.

The first toys my parents could get me to play with were blocks and chalk. I didn’t want to play with the doll, the truck, or the pony. But when my parents showed me blocks and chalk, I was all about it. I also really liked creatures — live creatures.

My anger about gendered toys was so pronounced that recently at a family event (~23 years later), my mom commented, “Look they make cool toys for girls now.” She had born the brunt of my complaining.