In nearly 2022, the notion that playing with a kitchen set can make little boys gay seems absurdly out of touch, but you can count hip hop star Cardi B among those not having that sexist, homophobic nonsense.
The controversy kicked off with parents sharing photos on Facebook of their young sons playing with kitchen sets after seeing Ryan Kaji, the tyke who stars in the wildly popular YouTube channel Ryan's World, playing with his own set.
Soon enough, the photos sparked a debate about gender and sexuality, with people claiming kitchen sets are for girls.
Cardi B, mother to a son herself, retweeted one of the controversial photos that went viral and slammed the uproar as "dumb."
See the tweet below.
The fact that Ryans world the little boy from YOuTube make millions and he have a kitchen set like this and y’all worry about if this gay or not 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️Stop being so close minded and dumb https://t.co/SlhfsJx95w
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) December 2, 2021
Cardi wrote:
"The fact that Ryans world the little boy from YOuTube make millions and he have a kitchen set like this and y’all worry about if this gay or not 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️"
"Stop being so close minded and dumb"
As the tweet Cardi B shared in her own put it, "a full blown gender war" erupted on Facebook in the wake of parents sharing the pics of their sons playing with kitchen sets.
One commenter railed:
“DO NOT buy your son a kitchen set for Christmas… get him a tool set… don’t put the wrong ideals in ya son head at an early age.”
The notion is patently ridiculous.
As several people pointed out in response, cooking is an essential life skill that all genders and sexualities use. Because, you know, their diet would be pretty limited otherwise?
The ridiculous controversy angered many people on Twitter, who clapped back at the notion toys have any bearing on a child's gender or sexuality—especially since such panic assumes there's something wrong with a child being a different gender or sexuality than what bigots considered "normal."
On Twitter, people applauded Cardi B for clapping back at this very stupid controversy.
i think it’s kinda crazy because a lot of women want a man who’ll get up before they do and surprise them with breakfast in bed. or a nice dinner when they get home from work but they don’t wanna raise their boys to be able to do that
— triiniitea 🌈 (@triiniity_me) December 2, 2021
My son has dolls, monster trucks, a toy kitchen, superheroes etc. he plays with everything. He asks for his nails painted pink like mama and then runs around in the mud with the dog catching bugs. People need to let kids be kids and stop pushing their insecurities and bs on them
— 😑 (@jassca36) December 2, 2021
I bought my son a kitchen set when he turned 3. We basically played with it for over a year. He liked cooking me food and he laughed when I acted like it was bad 🤣 Its about memories and fun.
— Splinter Of Joy (@SplinterOfJoy) December 2, 2021
Meanwhile my son is in culinary getting his career goal on pic.twitter.com/eucI75MMov
— Nikki Latimore (@LatimoreNikki) December 2, 2021
Cooking and cleaning is a life skill not a gender role! We are not in the 1950’s people, it’s about to be 2022. Teach your children important life skills that make them independently strong as they grow older.
— Cecilia (@Cecilia49588953) December 2, 2021
What's even crazier is that the food industry is a male-dominated field. Food Network highlights this all the time.
— 🌌⋆💜𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑵𝒊𝒌𝒌𝒊💜⋆🌌 (@miss_lady_diva) December 2, 2021
Lol my son has a kitchen, he has babies and dolls. He loves trucks, etc but I don't understand parents reaction to kids playing. Get over yourselves, it's a toy. My girls hated dolls so I love it lol my husband is extremely masculine and he cooks, had nothing to do with sexuality
— Dannielle Durham (@Danni777SD) December 2, 2021
Men can cook too… unless y’all just want to be house wives that do everything pic.twitter.com/l6X6vKK96B
— *•.¸♡𝒷𝒶𝓇𝒹𝒾𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓎♡¸.•* (@pxx_wap) December 2, 2021
Right - so like is eating gay too 😂😂
— K Denise $keedawatt317 (@loreesdaughter) December 2, 2021
When someone's free time has started to include "judging children's toys for sexuality", they need to get a hobby and help.
Period.
— Ms. Imani Makes Scarves (@ImaniKushan) December 2, 2021
It's likely Cardi B's objection to this homophobic nonsense is personal.
The mother to a three-year-old daughter and a three-month-old son will be officiating actor Kal Penn's upcoming wedding to his soon-to-be husband Josh.
@kileywrestling/Bluesky