Tokoroa Mum's rant on McDonald's gender specific Happy Meals sparks debate

Louise questioned why the restaurants are still handing out toys based on gender stereotypes. Photo / McDonald's website

McDonald's is looking at the way it offers 'girls toys' and 'boys toys' with Happy Meals.

A Tokoroa mum, Imogene Louise, has sparked a furore on social media, after complaining about being asked whether the kids combo she was ordering was for a boy or a girl.

"Let me tell you something about my daughter. She loves cars. And trucks. And bikes. And skateboards. And pretty much anything with wheels. LOVES them," Imogene Louise has written on the McDonald's NZ Facebook page.

"I am constantly buying her matchbox cars to play with. I can guarantee if she was given the choice of a toy vehicle or a Barbie doll, the vehicle would win 9 times out of 10.

"Her preferences are in no way correlated with her genitalia. And I bet that almost every child in New Zealand has a like or dislike that does not fit inside those ridiculous boxes society calls gender."

Louise questioned why the restaurants are still handing out toys based on gender stereotypes.

"Let the children decide what they would like, rather than letting their reproductive organs decide for them."

A McDonald's spokesperson said it was something the company was working on, as it agrees children should be free to have an interest in whatever toys they like, regardless of their gender.

"We realise that how our Happy Meals are identified may not be supportive of this."

The burger chain said in the next few months it would also permanently add the choice of books with Happy Meals.

"We're using this as an opportunity to look at how we ask customers what option they would like. We're also working with our toy suppliers to look at options going forward."