> Luckily, he's allowed to.

I'm not sure I've heard of kids not being allowed to play with something (except for sex and dangerous or precious items). Also, if a child wants to play with a doll or a gun, any object will do, if needed.

There are definitely many people who will anywhere from dissuade to scold a child for playing with toys that don't fit that person's idea of a "gender appropriate" toy.

I believe it- there's always people doing stupid things-, I just don't have any first or second hand experience of it, just hearsay. So I can't say how common it is.

Also, as I kid I was dissuaded and scolded for playing with many things- nothing really worked, I still had great fun with fire and live 220V cables :).

But were you shamed, by peers or parent?

Even a funny look or surprise will be cues children pick up immediately. Not that social conditioning is a bad thing, but humans just don't survive in a bubble.

> Luckily, he's allowed to.

Nobody I know of, on any side of this debate, has argued against letting kids choose what they want to do. The problem is when "my child likes playing with dolls" suddenly becomes "time to cut off my child's penis".

Are you able to cite an example of this particular, direct consequence?