Hello there @alchemage :)

This topic will never cease to fascinate me. You presented it very well and I like how you made the perspective from which you were going to showcase this topic clear from the very beginning. I have written about this in past on my Steemit blog and, coincidentally, will include a short discussion on it on my next post.

Not long ago I came across a study on how individual's gender identities are already shaped by their parents' language as soon as they're born ^Ref.. Of course, this study dates from the 70's and things like "oh, she will help you with the household chores" and "he will play rugby" were said. Still, just the other day in a coffee bar I witnessed a grandmother carrying a baby boy outside in her arms while say "let's go out and flirt with the pretty girls".

I am now interested in looking into the works of Judith Lorber :) By the way, there is another Judith (Judith Butler) who examines this topic very profoundly as well. She sees gender as a "performance". I believe you would be interested in her works :)

But, since you have touched on the topic of toys, I would like to mention here some very interesting studies involving toys and primates. New evidence points to the possibility that boy's and girl's toys preference seem to result from factors other than "modern sex-biased parental behavior and gender socialization". ^{ref., ref.}

Thank you for this post. I will definitely look into some of the references you provided here :)

All the best to you,

Abigail