New LEGO toys on the market are causing a bit of a stir—and from looking at them, it would seem that gyrating consumers is what they had hoped for.
But this kind of stir was actually by feminist activists that form the SPARK Movement.
The new additions to the brand are geared to get girls into LEGOs too, according to the Daily News.
I have and she's liked LEGOs long before the girl version came out in December.
If you know anything about LEGOs, they are, in a sense, a form of building blocks. The boy figurines have a boxy shape, made for easy positioning into bigger fixtures that kids (boys and girls) generally love to build. The heads are cylinder-shaped and they have dots for eyes.
The girl version of the same toy is very different. Not only is the whole shape made to resemble more of a human, but there are curves, bust lines and mini skirts to match.
Their eyes are wide, have lashes, and their lips are painted, resembling lipstick.
Why is it that a toy aimed at gaining a young female's interest has makeup, revealing clothing and accentuates body parts they themselves don't even have yet?
Do they not know their product enough to realize that little girls don't mind playing with the old style, boxy figurines? My daughter went crazy for a Sponge Bob LEGO set when we were at the LEGO store—and Sponge Bob wasn't wearing a skirt, set in a salon or driving a convertible.
The idea that girls should only be interested in feminity and girly pastimes is a mindset that many toy companies seem intent to uphold. I don't want my 6-year-old daughter to think there is something wrong with her because she likes sports, or because she enjoys building a Star Wars X-Wing LEGO set.
And I certainly won't buy a toy that send her subliminal messages that she should be interested in wearing miniskirts, having breasts and spending time in a pool or hot tub, as LEGO has conceived for some of their sets.
I want her to feel that she has as much access and right—and that she is normal—to want toys that are steeped in adventure and strength.
