Katha Pollitt - Why Boys Don't Play with Dolls

1. This article is almost 20 years old; do you think the generalizations that Pollitt describes are still in place in American society today?
2. Do boys play with dolls today? What is the difference between a "doll" and an "action figure"? 
3. Why do Americans still assign genders to professions? Fore example, we have to say "lady doctor" and "male nurse" to make sure that the listener understands the sex of the professional.
4. If gender is still so important that we have to identify the sex in the job title, why are we moving away from specialized terms such as "actor vs. actress", and "waiter vs. waitress", "steward vs. stewardess"?
5. Do we "program" children through media and advertising to play a certain way, with specific toys?

1. What do you think of American girls wanting to play American football and other sports that have traditionally been sports reserved for men?
2. Do you think have separate leagues for men and women in sports (basketball, softball, soccer, etc.) is discriminatory?