THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS

The Genderization of Greeting Cards: Genre and Generation Allyssa Eicher and Carly Harte Marquette University

THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS Abstract

The Genderization of Greeting Cards: Genre and Generation examines the various ways in which the greeting card industry uses culturally reinforced gender memes. Beginning with cards of all occasions, we examined cards on the basis of color, font, imagery, and language. Through this survey, we were able to determine that birthday cards are highly skewed in favor of genderization as opposed to other genres of cards. Broken down further by age, we saw a distinct trend in heavy genderization occur in cards intended for younger people. Our research ultimately aids in fostering awareness for consumers in order to encourage conscientious buying and avoid unintentional enforcement of potentially negative stereotypes.

THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS The Genderization of Greeting Cards: Genre and Generation Introduction

In the United States, the greeting card industry is hugely profitable and widespread. Though the majority of greeting cards contain an innocent message for a loved one, several people are beginning to suggest the presence of a discrete, underlying message in some of these cards. This hidden message is promoting gender stereotypes from a young age. According to Lynda R. Willer, in her study Welcome to Your World Baby, greeting cards can promote gender stereotyping for a child at birth. The purpose of this research is to draw attention to our cultures general unawareness and unsuspected reinforcement of the stereotyping of gender roles through the simple purchase of greeting cards. Research Questions Are greeting cards genderized? The above question was answered through the exploration of the two following questions: Are birthday cards more genderized than any other genre of greeting card? To what degree does age influence levels of genderization? Hypothesis Based on the readings, we think that birthday cards will be more genderized, especially at a younger age, than all other genres of cards. Materials and Methods The materials used in this study included a variety of different greeting cards including sixteen birthday, seven Thanksgiving, seven get well soon, and eight symapathy cards. (An extensive description of these cards is available in the Appendix.) To collect the materials, a trip to the Walgreens on Marquettes campus was made. Pictures were taken of a variety of cards, which were analyzed later. After the cards were organized into the categories of birthday, Thanksgiving, get well soon, and sympathy, they were all looked at in regards of their genderization. The terms used to decide the genderization of the card included color, fonts, imagery, and language. (An extensive list of the criteria used is available in the Appendix.) There were limitations present in our research. The main limitation was the location of the Walgreens on Marquettes campus. A majority of the customers at this particular Walgreens are college students. It is widely understood that college students are monetarily limited, and

THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS

greeting cards are not something that is necessarily needed by these students. Because of this, greeting cards at this Walgreens are considered a luxury good by many customers. Therefore, the selling of these cards is limited, and Walgreens understandably reacts with a limited selection and supply when compared to other stores. A minor limitation is that the only seasonal cards we were able to examine were Thanksgiving cards due to the time the trip to Walgreens took place. However, this is only a minor limitation because we were still able to show that birthday cards are the most genderized type of greeting card when compared to two other genres of greeting cards (get well soon and sympathy). Results Are birthday cards more genderized than any other type of greeting card? Birthday Yes No 14 2 Thanksgiving 0 7 Get Well Soon 0 7 1 7 Sympathy Totals 15 23

To what degree does age influence the levels of genderization?

Discussion Our research shows that birthday cards are significantly more genderized than the other types of greeting cards we surveyed. This is shown in the above graph as fourteen of the sixteen birthday cards were considered to be genderized, yet only one out of the twenty-one cards in the other categories was considered to be genderized. This part of our research strongly supports the first part of our hypothesis, as we thought that the birthday cards would be the most frequently genderized genre of greeting card. Additionally, our research shows that age does influence the genderization of the birthday card, and, the younger the intended recipient, the more likely gender stereotypes are present on the card. This is shown on the above scale, with help from the explanations found in the Appendix. The scale shows that the cards aimed at ages two through thirteen are the most genderized for both males and females, as the letters representing these ages had the highest total of gender stereotypical elements based on our criteria. This part of our research strongly supports the second part of our hypothesis, as we thought that age would impact the degree of genderization of the birthday card. In addition, we hypothesized that the

THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS cards aimed at younger ages would be more genderized, which this part of our research also supports. An explanation for our findings is related to the research of Lynda R. Willer in her study, Welcome to Your World, Baby. She suggests that all children are socialized by their parents and peers, and that these people can influence a child based on their expectations set for them, sometimes even at birth. This supports our finding that birthday cards for younger ages were more genderized because these children are still being socialized. The gender stereotypes in a greeting card might still have great influence on the developing minds of children and adolescents, and these stereotypes often support the expectations that parents set for their children upon finding out their gender. In this manner, greeting cards contribute greatly to gender stereotyping. Conclusion

In conclusion, the greeting cards are highly genderized by both occasion and age. We assumed that birthday cards would exhibit more gender specific tropes than any other occasion of card, including sympathy, thanksgiving, or get well and would become less and less genderized as age increased. By examining a pool of cards, we initially determined that our first theory was indeed correct. Lack of gender specific colors, language, and imagery led us to the conclusion that birthday cards are the most gender specific of all categories. When we investigated the birthday cards more thoroughly, we determined that the older the intended recipient, the less genderized the card would be. A card meant for a 100 year old person, for example, is completely gender neutral, whereas a card meant for a two year old will strongly reinforce socially acceptable gender roles. This study helps illuminate the subtlety of gender roles in the United States. Without paying close attention, the casual consumer will be reinforcing stereotypes and gender roles without even knowing it. However, readers of this and similar studies can be cognizant of the gender differences displayed in greeting cards and make informed decisions when purchasing them.

THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS Appendix Categories

Colors most commonly accepted as female are shades of pinks and purples, whereas masculine colors are typically blues and greens. Fonts most commonly found on female cards are forms of cursive, or any type of frilly lettering. Boy cards tend to utilize bold or block lettering. The Imagery category creates the most variation between genders. Female imagery almost always has some type of flower, or sparkle. Many have popular cartoon figures, usually featuring a socially accepted form of feminine beauty such as Disney Princesses, or Tinkerbell. Male cards tend to feature action heros or animals, and are less standardized in design. Language employed in female cards consists of adjectives like "pretty," "little," "girl," "princess," "sweet," etc. Male diction included "boy," "big," "growth," "freedom," "strong," etc. Graph All 16 cards used in the study were given a letter, followed by their delineated gender and the age to which the card was addressed. The first card, for example, "Card A-F2," was intended for a two year old female. Female cards are A-H, and males are I-P. Each gender received 8 cards. Color Card A-F2 Card B-F4 Card C-F5 Card D-F13 Card E-F16 Card F-F? Card G-F50 Card H-F100 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 Font 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 Imagery Language 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 4 4 4 4 3 2 1 0 Total

THE GENDERIZATION OF GREETING CARDS

Color Card I-M2 Card J-M4 Card K-M5 Card L-M13 Card M-M16 Card N-M? Card O-M60 Card P-M100 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

Font 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0

Imagery

Language 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 4 3 4 4 3 2 1 0

Total