That's why advertising is so insidious. Some people are so convinced they are above it all. Unless you are a shut in a cave somewhere, you're behavior, even if it's supposedly anti-advertising and marketing is still being manipulated by the very same things you are avoiding.
So just to be clear, even though I use ad blocking, don't watch live TV or radio, and I actively avoid/criticise people who are quick jump on trends (when they are pushy about the new thing they are into I mean), I'm still somehow being manipulated by ads? Weird. Must be some crazy powerful stuff.
What device are you posting this on?
A cheap HP laptop. And no, I didn't buy it because HP ads convinced me to buy it, I bought it because it was literally the cheapest thing that does what I wanted I happened to find at the store that day. I have a cheap android phone too, if thats what you were hoping for. It was a gift, and its been sitting uncharged in a drawer for months because I don't need a mobile phone and ads haven't convinced me I do. But I'm also somehow at the mercy of these ads.
In this case, intentionally buying uni-sex/ non-gendered products, is making a conscious statement, as a consumer, that you think gendered merchandise is stupid. Ultimately, you're still making a choice. That choice proves that gendered products are in fact a thing. You simply refuse to buy them, which of course, is okay.
I buy what tastes good and I can afford, I'm not making a statement when I buy cereal.
But since this seems to be going in circles and this is kind of boring me,
fine, gendered advertising is a big thing thats everywhere, and I'm totally effected by it even though I don't really see it or change my behavior based on it.