Taught Masculinity via Gunplay

LITTLE SQUIRTS LOVE BIG SQUIRTS read a headline by Ohio's own Columbus Dispatch in 1985, which praised Entertech's new line of motorized water guns. Together, the marketing and legislation of toy guns in our United States of America have a long history. Expression of masculinity via gunplay is taught to us by our parents and by toy gun manufacturers from a young age.

To pull a couple quotes from Jackson Katz's documentary Tough Guise 2: Violence, Manhood & American Culture, "men live and operate within a culture that has normalized violent masculinity and defined manhood in exceedingly narrow ways." and "while we've been debating whether guns or movies and video games are more to blame for violence, we've missed what the culture teaches boys about what it means to be a man." Finally, "what both sides [manufacturers and legislators] have failed to mention is how, for years, they've been mutually reinforcing parts of the same culture of violence, and have profited handsomely."

Keeping these quotes in mind, let's turn our attention to these two examples produced by manufacturers of toy guns -- Entertech and Nerf.

Before I continue, let's stop and admire this time capsule and microcosm of advertising in the yester-years. For reasons I'll mention later, nowadays, it's literally criminal.

The ad features a pre-pubescent boy with a matte black motor-powered water gun modeled to look like a submachine gun. He's pointing the gun away from the viewer, which is important because of the life-like design. He has a second water tank, styled to look like a magazine, attached to his waist. His hair is combed over; his sleeves are rolled up; his shirt is tucked in; he is the epitome of highschool badass, a la Kevin Bacon in Footloose.

The copy on the previous page reads

"E9115 AK Centerfire™ The Worlds's most popular motorized watergun. This realistically styled sub-machine gun is a must have for every water gun lover. The AK Centerfire comes with 2 "banana" styled water clips and has a tough, woven nylon shoulder strap for movin' out. Uses 4 "AA" batteries (not included)."

and if you heard a drill sergeant-like voice yelling in your ear that's not too far off from the tv commercial.

These details support another of Katz's quotes -- "we define masculine strength by who can blow away the most people, who can flex the most muscle, who can impose their will and inflict the most damage." At the point of a (replica) gun, this kid commands our respect.

For some additional historical context, LJN Toys produced water guns and early lasertag guns under the brand Entertech from 1985 to 1990. Key to their marketing, was the realism or "authentic look" of the guns. It was less an appeal to the kids as it was to their parents. Models included a M1911, a CAR-15, a RPG-7, a TEC-9, a TEC-22, a FMK-3, and a B-92. You may not recognize the abbreviations, but they range from a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, to semi-auto pistols, to full-auto submachine guns and a rifle. Some of which are not legal for civilian use in the United States.

It should come as no surprise then, after a slew of robberies committed and police murders of children shot while playing with toys like Entertech's, that legislation in 1989 banned lookalikes and required toy manufacturers to fit toys with blaze orange tips. Notably, due to lobbying efforts by the real-gun industry, this did not apply to airsoft or BB models. As a result, LJN Toys folded, was bought then sold, and never heard from again.

Pausing again for a moment, observe how brands like Nerf are incontestable descendants of brands like Entertech both in spirit and in legislation. The names and model numbers are still reminiscent of real guns – that never stopped. But out with the matte black, silver, and grey, and in with blaze orange, bright red and blue ... and phantom white too?

In this ad, Nerf has a new line of toy guns to promote - an armory of foam ball “blasters”, named Rival. (As opposed to their usual foam dart blasters.) Five older highschool-ish teenage boys are standing in a layered formation, posing in such a way as to direct your attention to the new models. Three are reaching to pull down their masks, as if they mean to step forward and begin a match. This crew seems to be missing a player on the red team; perhaps it's you?

In regard to the toy gun industry, this ad demonstrates a mindset shift: marketing them as part of a cutting edge competitive team sport, akin to more adult airsoft battles. (Videogames have made this shift as well, interestingly.) They're dressed for the outdoors and are wearing protective facemasks. Teams are color-coded red, white, and blue (*winks at the camera*) for easy distinction between friend and foe.

By now, Nerf knows better than to say much in their ads beyond hype and stats, "Nerf or Nothin'!", or use hashtags because it will put them back on the radar, ripe for criticism from parents and further legislation. In short, they've perfected their half-century old pitch to kids and their parents: toy guns are safe, fun, and cool. These can't be mistaken as real guns, and thus dramatically reduce the odds of… y’know, being murdered.

Time for a late aside (and tone shift). During my research, I got side-tracked by staged Nerf fight channels on YouTube. They're a big hit with kids because it's just like Call of Duty! or Fortnite! or Star Wars! They’re filmed in first person and are well-produced. Part of the rules, you even get to respawn after being shot! ...

I chose these ads specifically because of the dissonance I feel. It's uncomfortable viewing toy guns I personally wanted as a kid as contributing towards a greater environment of violence. As a kid I owned a BB gun and a paintball gun. Now all I have is a Nerf Mega N-Strike Hotshock and a Nerf Rival Apollo XV-700, both in red. And part of me resists, wanting to believe playing Nerf (or some adult parallel like airsoft or paintball) can still be fun despite it all.

Katz addresses many aspects of hyper masculinity in his documentary. Two of which, are the Cool Pose and his suggestion that violence is A Taught Behavior. He forwards "models of authenticity are themselves projecting an image picked up from culture." He says this referring to the media we consume and the idols that inspire us. Our truest selves, the constitution of our identities, is not independent of our surroundings, but taught by it. And "by shifting the focus from 'learned' to 'taught' we shift the onus of responsibility to those of us who are teaching our sons what it means to be a man."

Toy gun manufacturers like Entertech, like Nerf, mean to sell an ideal image of masculinity via gunplay, and parents who buy their children toy guns are (perhaps unknowingly?) complicit in the potential to reinforce an unhealthy expression. As adults with hindsight, we can rationalize this. Armed with a quick snapshot of their history, maybe we can decide to end taught behaviors that contribute to yet another hyper masculine generation with foresight?