That article ends with this kicker, "Viewership of Thomas & Friends is evenly split between girls and boys...and girls are more likely than boys to watch every week." Right now there are 6 boy engines and 1 girl engine in the shed, and I can tell you that does matter to the girls that are watching this show. Too early, girls start getting told that "trains are for boys" and will stop watching.
Sure, girls absolutely like the boy engines, too. We have copies of all the original books and I loved reading those stories at bedtime. But having more girl engines on the show (and including girls in the advertising and merchandising so girls, too, can get the Thomas clothes they want) is going to make a huge difference for all the girls out there that are Thomas fans. If this works out, 20-30 years from now there are going to be a whole lot more grownup Thomas and train fans, just from the little girls who weren't kicked out of train fandom growing up.
Sure, girls absolutely like the boy engines, too. We have copies of all the original books and I loved reading those stories at bedtime. But having more girl engines on the show (and including girls in the advertising and merchandising so girls, too, can get the Thomas clothes they want) is going to make a huge difference for all the girls out there that are Thomas fans. If this works out, 20-30 years from now there are going to be a whole lot more grownup Thomas and train fans, just from the little girls who weren't kicked out of train fandom growing up.
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