A job that changed me: Working at a toy store was my teen feminist awakening

The Guardian UK Monday 10 August 2026, 15:00 UTC By Maggie Zhou 1 min read

Key Points

I loved the business of selling toys – it felt like I was selling joy. But my least favourite part was the gendered languageI was 15 when I landed my job at Toys R Us. Before that, my first job was a one-month stint at the local fish and chip shop, where I was paid in $20 bills slotted into Chiko roll packets.

I loved the business of selling toys – it felt like I was selling joy. But my least favourite part was the gendered language

I was 15 when I landed my job at Toys R Us. Before that, my first job was a one-month stint at the local fish and chip shop, where I was paid in $20 bills slotted into Chiko roll packets. After a burn on my forearm (I still have it), I left the gig. That was the end of my hospitality career.

This was 2014. I knew my strengths and weaknesses; I was no good with deep-fry baskets or carrying more than one thing in each hand. I wanted to work in the hallowed halls of retail.

Chiko (PERSON)

Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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A job that changed me: Working at a toy store was my teen feminist awakening

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