Readers Respond to 'Gender Offender'

On Oct. 29, we ran a about a catalog.

Not just any catalog, but the catalog. and described how this recent collection of goods and styles from Restoration Hardware makes some pretty dated assumptions about gender roles.

From the column:

The stylists at Restoration Hardware have determined that little boys enjoy looking at “architectural reproductions of lithographs depicting Los Angeles on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution” and girls like pretty butterflies. Boys play at drafting tables and lounge on leathery, lawyerly sofas while immersed in their reading. Little girls wear aprons. Or, for a change, they look demurely into make-up mirrors. 

To be fair, they also show girls setting the table.

Both the girls’ rooms and the boys’ rooms have nifty chalkboards hung at toddler height. Featured on the boys’ is a drawing of the Pythagorean Theorem. The girls’ has an announcement for a tea party. 

Here's what readers said about what Betsy and Sal had to say:

My "little girl" was just offered to teach a physics lab at IU. Unreal. I have a favor to ask. If you ever discover sexism from Pottery Barn, please shield me from that. I just couldn't take it...
Diane Schyman Patterson 

So on target - maybe you should send it to the NYT! And, as usual - beautifully crafted!
Betsy Leggat

While I was rounding yesterday in Labor &Delivery, I made my patient's bed. I must have too much restoration hardware in my house. 
Susan Libman Kramer 

Wow, I am seriously annoyed, disgusted and offended. Nice article and slideshow highlighing the overt sexism being promoted by Restoration Hardware. I am officially boycotting...
Sheri Henkel 

I have to admit they have some cute retro aprons at anthropology but I don't know how we're supposed to afford them!
Susan Libman Kramer

Wow, didn't expect you to overstate in your article, but was still shocked to see how skewed the images were. Did you send a link to anyone at Restoration Hardware?
Jessica Marcus

I am happy to know that us women have the two of you to point out things like this...ps my mom cooked dinner every night and ran a business, took care of the kids, my dad and our homes and I never remember her wearing an apron! Keep writing! you girls rock!
Patrice Flashner Fitzgerald  

Absolutely loved your article. But there's nothing wrong with being a “Super Fun and Super Cute Computer Engineer," if you possibly can be. My daughter and her friends play sports and look great doing it. It's a new generation of Barbie-playing, finger nail-painting, catalogue-flipping, girlie jocks.
Megan Fisher

Hilarious - let's dress our little girls up in tutu's, arm them with protractors and storm the HP Restoration Hardware. We'll show 'em these girls can do it all!
Molly

Read the rest of their column and feel free to add your own comments below.

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