Angry Sheffield mum blasts 'sexist' shop for "cr*p" advert showing boys as superheroes and girls as princesses

An angry Sheffield mum has blasted a nationwide high street store for what she says is a sexist advert showing boys as superheroes as doctors and girls as princesses and ballerinas.
The advert which has sparked a sexism row. (Photo: SWNS).The advert which has sparked a sexism row. (Photo: SWNS).
The advert which has sparked a sexism row. (Photo: SWNS).

Irate Danielle Waller, 41, has hit out at the Early Learning Centre's advertising campaign and said: "Shops shouldn't be encouraging this cr*p."

The physics teacher said: "The story being told has adopted gender stereotyping showing the boys to be the strong, wise superheroes rescuing the day.

Angry mum Danielle Waller.Angry mum Danielle Waller.
Angry mum Danielle Waller.
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"The girls are shown to be pretty delicate flowers. I'm a physics teacher and we see such a lack of confidence from girls in the UK in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

"Some girls really think they aren't good enough and think these are boys' subjects.

"It's not surprising when they are subjected to this gender stereotyping from such an early age.

"It's subliminally being put into them. It would make me think twice about shopping there again."

Angry mum Danielle Waller.Angry mum Danielle Waller.
Angry mum Danielle Waller.
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The marketing mailout showcasing the store's fancy dress range features two girls as Disney princesses Belle and Cinderella who are 'ready to go to the ball' and another girl in a ballerina outfit who 'takes a tumble'.

The three boys in the advert are Spiderman, who is 'super fast', a 'wise' wizard and Danny the Doctor, who can 'make everything better again'.

Mother-of-two Danielle added: "Gender is a social construct and shops shouldn't be encouraging this c**p. Girls can be superheroes and doctors. Boys can be princesses and nurses."

An Early Learning Centre spokeman said: 'At ELC our aim is to offer a wide enough range to appeal to the many different tastes and play interests of little ones.

"We feature both boys and girls playing with many different toys and dressing-up outfits."