In 2014, facing a barrage of criticism for its gendered toys, McDonald’s issued numerous statements to the press indicating that their employees would no longer be asking customers whether they wanted a “girls’ toy” or a “boys’ toy” when purchasing a Happy Meal. Yet just today, in September 2016, my husband and I ordered a Happy Meal for our son and were promptly asked, “Boy or girl?” If this question was an anomalous experience, customers could feel more confident that McDonald’s was holding true to its 2014 statements that employees would no longer specify gender regarding Happy Meal toys. However, because employees at many franchised locations continue to ask a child’s gender when a Happy Meal is ordered, we are writing to ask McDonald’s to institute a universal policy against using gender-specific language to customers ordering Happy Meals.

Today, when we hesitantly replied to the employee that our child is a boy, we received a violent-looking figurine wielding a bow and arrow. I’m not sure what the “girls’ toy” option was, but it’s possible my son would have much preferred it over the “boys’ toy.”

If the two options of toys are a superhero action figure and a miniature pink pony, the question asked of customers should not be, “Girl or boy?” Instead, McDonald’s employees should ask, “Would you like a superhero figure or a pony?” Similarly, if the two options were a model dump truck or a small blonde doll, the employees should not ask, “Girl or boy?” but rather, “Truck or doll?”

We are not demanding that McDonald’s stop offering two toy options for customers ordering Happy Meals. Instead, we are writing as customers who do not want our children pigeon-holed into outdated gender norms regarding toys. Many boys enjoy playing with dolls or ponies. Many girls enjoy playing with action figures. When McDonald’s employees simply ask, “Boy or girl?” to parents buying a Happy Meal, the entire corporation contributes to and perpetuates rigid rules for children about what toys are meant for them based on socially-constructed gender norms.

McDonald’s has taken positive steps in recent years to make its food offerings for children more nutritious, such as offering low-fat white milk and apple slices with its Happy Meals. The issue of gendered toys is an another opportunity for McDonald’s to demonstrate that it cares about the well-being of its youngest customers.

We ask that McDonald’s implement a policy in all of its locations for employees to stop asking whether the customer’s child is a boy or girl, and to instead give the customer two options of toys. As parents and consumers, we appreciate McDonald’s taking swift and definitive action to ensure that all employees at all locations implement a policy of customer interaction that does not ask about a child’s gender.