It’s about dang time! I had enough of Lego using those “harmful stereotypes” and engaging in “gender bias” for so long.
(sarcasm)
I don’t even know where to start with this because it’s so ridiculous and typical virtue signaling.
Lego is using research from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media (yes, Geena Davis the actress) to justify grouping all its products into one group:
“The benefits of creative play such as building confidence, creativity and communication skills are felt by all children and yet we still experience age-old stereotypes that label activities as only being suitable for one specific gender. At the LEGO Group we know we have a role to play in putting this right, and this campaign is one of several initiatives we are putting in place to raise awareness of the issue and ensure we make LEGO play as inclusive as possible. All children should be able to reach their true creative potential,” says Julia Goldin, CMO LEGO Group.The ‘Ready for Girls’ campaign aims to help girls rebuild the story and welcome more girls to LEGO building, ensuring they aren’t losing out on the benefits of LEGO play due to societal expectations. The company will ensure any child, regardless of gender identify, feels they can build anything they like, playing in a way that will help them develop and realize their unique talent.
The research found that a lot of boys feared people would make fun of them if they played with girl toys:
Seventy-one per cent of boys surveyed feared they would be made fun of if they played with what they described as “girls’ toys” – a fear shared by their parents. “Parents are more worried that their sons will be teased than their daughters for playing with toys associated with the other gender,” said Madeline Di Nonno, the chief executive of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, who conducted the research.“But it’s also that behaviours associated with men are valued more highly in society,” said Di Nonno. “Until societies recognise that behaviours and activities typically associated with women are as valuable or important, parents and children will be tentative to embrace them.”
Julia Goldin, Lego’s chief product and marketing officer, wants the company to become more inclusive:
Goldin said Lego no longer labelled any of its products “for girls” or “for boys”. On Lego.com consumers cannot search for products by gender. Instead, the website offers themes that it calls “passion points”.“We’re testing everything on boys and girls, and including more female role models,” said Goldin. The recent Lego Con showcased female designers talking about the work they did, while Lego’s Rebuild the World campaign focuses on girls.“Our job now is to encourage boys and girls who want to play with sets that may have traditionally been seen as ‘not for them’,” Goldin added.
“The company is committed to making LEGO play more inclusive and ensuring that children’s creative ambitions – both now in the future – are not limited by gender stereotypes,” Lego concluded in its statement. “We know there is work to do which is why from 2021, we will work closely with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and UNICEF to ensure LEGO products and marketing are accessible to all and free of gender bias and harmful stereotypes.”
Look, I know it killed my mother to have a daughter reject almost everything feminine. I love boy toys. I watched boy cartoons. Instead of telling me no, my mother bought me Ghostbusters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys. I hated dresses. I wore boy clothes. I didn’t have a close female friend until junior high. All my friends were boys.
I have no doubt other countries force gender stereotypes on children. But I’d like to think America is pretty forward on this. I’m pretty sure there are a lot of parents like my mom.
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