By Adam Beam -
The Associated Press
California became the first state on Saturday to force department stores to display certain gender-neutral products, a victory for LGBTQ advocates who allege that the pink and blue colors used to market items
put pressure on minors to conform. gender stereotypes
.
The new law, signed on Saturday by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom,
does not prohibit traditional boys and girls sections in department stores
.
However, it urges them to incorporate a gender neutral section to show "a reasonable selection" of products "regardless of whether they have been traditionally marketed for girls or boys."
A girl holds a Barbie in her hands in a warehouse in Monrovia, California.Nick Ut / AP
The law only applies to toys and child-rearing items, such as hygiene and dental care products, but it
excludes clothing
.
In addition, it only applies to stores with at least 500 employees, which means that small businesses are exempt from adopting the new guidelines.
Assemblyman Evan Low, D-San Jose who drafted the bill, said he was "incredibly grateful" for Newsom's support.
It is the third time Democrats have presented this proposal in the current state legislature.
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Low said she was inspired by the 10-year-old daughter of one of her collaborators, who
asked her mother why certain products were "banned" for her because she is a girl
.
"We have to
stop stigmatizing what is acceptable
for certain genders and let children be children," Low said.
Target announced in 2015 that it would stop using gender-based signage in its nearly 2,000 stores to market products.David Zalubowski / AP
Although California is the first state to require it, some department stores have already changed the way they display their products.
Target Corp., with 1,915 stores nationwide, announced in 2015 that it would stop using some gender-based signs to market its products.
The law was opposed by some Republicans and some conservative groups, who argued that the government should not tell parents how to shop for their children.
