A pair of childrenB次元官网网址檚 books have caught the eye of a Colwood mom and caused a stir on a local Facebook group.

Marie Ikonen, mother of two young daughters, noticed the books while shopping at Costco earlier this month. The books B次元官网网址� respectively titled The BoyB次元官网网址檚 Book of Adventure and The GirlB次元官网网址檚 Book of Adventure B次元官网网址� gave its young readers ideas for hobbies they could pursue and skills they could learn. The boyB次元官网网址檚 version gives readers instructions on how to build a compass, tie knots and read maps. Meanwhile, the girlB次元官网网址檚 edition explains how to weave baskets and make herbal teas, among other activities.

The girlB次元官网网址檚 book also includes some outdoor activities, but Ikonen felt both books were gender biased.

B次元官网网址淚t was stuff that was sort of focused around traditional gender roles, like the woman is in the house and in the kitchen and homemaking,B次元官网网址� she said.

Neither book really fit in with what IkonenB次元官网网址檚 daughters enjoy.

B次元官网网址淸They] are interested in everything. They love anything to do with superheroes, they like going outside and playing in the dirt B次元官网网址� TheyB次元官网网址檙e not little princesses but they can play princesses,B次元官网网址� she said.

While she doesnB次元官网网址檛 have any sons, Ikonen says she can imagine that the boyB次元官网网址檚 book could be just as limiting.

B次元官网网址淥ur neighbour has a son who is four and he loves coming over and playing with the girls B次元官网网址� I feel that any child should be allowed to do any of those things,B次元官网网址� she said.

Ikonen posted her concerns on a private West Shore Facebook group, garnering a significant amount of attention. She says many parents agreed with her concerns, while others didnB次元官网网址檛 think the books were a big deal.

Royal Roads University professor Matthew Heinz believes that, while gender portrayals in childrenB次元官网网址檚 media may be improving, there is still progress that needs to be made.

Heinz B次元官网网址� whose research focuses on gender identity and culture among other topics B次元官网网址� cited a 2009 study that looked at the portrayal of both female and male characters.

While female characters have recently been portrayed participating in a greater range of activities, it still tends to be shown as unnatural.

B次元官网网址淲e shouldnB次元官网网址檛 need to portray the [hammer] as a male toy or a female toy, or even a male toy that female characters can play with. That still re-enforces the notion that the hammer is associated with male activity B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址榦h itB次元官网网址檚 a girl, but she can also play with a hammer,B次元官网网址� as opposed to her being mechanically inclined,B次元官网网址� Heinz noted.

On the other hand, male characters are rarely shown doing household chores such as cleaning or cooking even though, B次元官网网址渨e do know that in real life, men also take care of children, they go on paternity leave, they cook and do laundry,B次元官网网址� he said.

Heinz brings another perspective to gender related issues, as he was assigned female at birth and transitioned to male in 2009.

While he grew up in a family that didnB次元官网网址檛 uphold B次元官网网址渟tereotypical gender expecations,B次元官网网址� he wonders whether he might have transitioned earlier than his mid-40s if media potrayals of trans characters were more common in his youth.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 have any images of male transgender characters anywhere. It took me an inordinate amount of time B次元官网网址� to realize that that is how I best align my gender identity. I just had no concept for it,B次元官网网址� he said.

Ideally, Heinz continued, children should be exposed to a wide variety of characters. B次元官网网址淲hat we donB次元官网网址檛 show is then what we donB次元官网网址檛 create as a possibility,B次元官网网址� he said.

Ikonen says she wasnB次元官网网址檛 surprised when she saw the books, adding that her girls are constantly exposed to media that suggests how they should behave and act. B次元官网网址淚t drives me mad. I donB次元官网网址檛 want my girls to think that because theyB次元官网网址檙e a girl that they canB次元官网网址檛 do the same things as boys do.B次元官网网址�

Publisher BarronB次元官网网址檚 Education Books did not respond to the 骋补锄别迟迟别B次元官网网址檚 request for comment.

joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com