Cross gender play

The subject of how gender divides play and other learning experiences continues to lead for discussions but to me it isn't even  what it is we learn from even that's at issue but how  move on from a position of hostility and almost reverse sexism where anything with a hint of masculinity is bad to one that is more balanced and respectful for all.

This is from a much criticized era, the 1950's the era of the retreat to the kitchen and being #2 to the man of house but actually is really good in that we have an engineering based toy that can and is shown used by girls as well as boys and unusually the girl is show putting a piece together even.

The message is a girl can make things and moreover we have gender co-operation too, where his is allowing her to play a role as an equal.

Yes, she's actually putting a coupling rod in while still being feminine! You CAN do both.
One wonders how many female engineers of the 60's and early 70's took part in those baby steps in getting women in engineering on the back of such cross-gender toys?
Where is its modern day equivalent???

I did have a Meccano set when I was younger but found much of suggested things to make too masculine but this would of been really ideal.

It's not just girls who suffer from the sharp gender signalling that many toy manufactures go along with, it's also gender fluid children who in time of course become gender fluid adults.
It may sound ironic but maybe a return to this kind of toy would be better where we all play together as equals.