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She continues with references to the new LEGO girls world which has no fire fighters and so on. Admitted, she doesn't mention pink, but it has been a recent acc

She continues with references to the new LEGO girls world which has no fire fighters and so on. Admitted, she doesn't mention pink, but it has been a recent accusation that LEGO created that pink world without manly jobs in it.

hrktb 13y ago
Well, the page on the "Lego friends"site: http://friends.lego.com/en-us/products/41027-mias-lemonade-stand http://friends.lego.com/en-us/products/41027-mias-lemonade-s... I don't see fire fighters or policemen or construction staff, so her statement (and other peoples argument) is valid. How to interpret this fact can be tricky, because there's still more variety than traditional 'girly' toys I think, but when contrasting this with the "City" line of toys (http://www.lego.com/en-us/city http://www.lego.com/en-us/city), the gender bias is blinding.
- SamuelMulder 13y ago
  The Lego Friends theme doesn't have firefighters because it is focused on social relationships, not overcoming conflict. It doesn't have to be a girl vs boy thing (although it is undoubtedly targeted toward girls to compete with other non--confrontational toys that have proved popular with girls), it is just part of the theme. Ninjago doesn't have firefighters either. I think it is great that Lego has developed a theme that isn't focused on physical confrontation. I have three girls who play with Lego and they request a mix of sets. For Christmas, they requested sets from Friends, Lord of the Rings, and Ninjago. My four year old got a Chima set. They don't see it as a girl vs boy thing.
  - hrktb 13y ago
    I'm not convinced on the marketing part. How is a lifeguard post or a ranch more social and less conflicting than firefighters or construction workers ? Now, if I was heavily into buying Lego bricks, I'd also mix from the different sets to have more situations, and my kid doesn't really care if his toys are action figures or dolls.
    - facepalm 13y ago
      I don't think "social" is the selling point. If I just look at "all buildings", only very few of them seem to be about actual work. It's more about having fun in exclusive locations with loving animals.
- talmand 13y ago
  How about buying the fire fighter set, if the girls want it, and just don't mention boy sets versus girl sets? You know what "traditional" girl toys are? What previous generations, or "parents", say they are.
- facepalm 13y ago
  How is that a valid criticism? It doesn't have firefighters because it is about other things. It's valid in the same way as complaining that a set about fire fighters doesn't have any police men. Please show me what makes the actual firefighters and policemen "male"? I see some figurines with beards, but many without beards - they could be any gender. Also never mind the fact that including many female fire fighters would be a lie, because the real world isn't really like that.
talmand 13y ago
If I wanted my daughters, or if they wanted, to play with LEGOs that had fire fighters then I would buy the sets that had fire fighters. I just don't bother to say that set is for boys while that set is for girls. One of them loves Transformers and Ninjago, we get her those toys with no mention of boy versus girl toys. I just don't understand what the problem is with needing specially made toys for girls to offset some perceived injustice when they can play with the boy toys just as well.
- wvenable 13y ago
  The problem with those sets is there are no female firefighter minifigs included.
  - facepalm 13y ago
    How would you identify a female firefighter minifig as female? Edit: here is a random LEGO firefighter I googled. What does make it male? http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cMG%2BjM8hL._SL1500_.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cMG%2BjM8hL._SL1500_...
    - krakensden 13y ago
      No secondary sexual characteristics bolted to the torso.
      - facepalm 13y ago
        You mean no boobs?
- facepalm 13y ago
  I personally think those complaints about female LEGo are ridiculous. I have half a mind to calculate how much it would cost to buy all LEGO kits that have no figurines at all - probably way more than any average family would ever spend on LEGO at all. Also the question is how do you identify female LEGO figurines? If you add feminine traits like lipstick or long hair, aren't you cementing another stereotype? Or adding boobs - again you are exposing yourself to criticism. I'd say as long as it doesn't spot a beard, any LEGO figurine can be taken as male or female at wish. I suspect the criticism assumes LEGO firefighters are male unless they wear lipstick, because I don't think all LEGO firefighters are bearded. And, as you say, what is the problem of playing with a figurine of the opposite sex? We even bought our son a Playmobil horse with girl tender that came in a pink box. I have yet to notice any trauma it might have induced. Maybe the payback will be in 20 years when his psychotherapist will expose our deeds.

hrktb 13y ago

Well, the page on the "Lego friends"site: http://friends.lego.com/en-us/products/41027-mias-lemonade-stand http://friends.lego.com/en-us/products/41027-mias-lemonade-s... I don't see fire fighters or policemen or construction staff, so her statement (and other peoples argument) is valid. How to interpret this fact can be tricky, because there's still more variety than traditional 'girly' toys I think, but when contrasting this with the "City" line of toys (http://www.lego.com/en-us/city http://www.lego.com/en-us/city), the gender bias is blinding.

SamuelMulder 13y ago
The Lego Friends theme doesn't have firefighters because it is focused on social relationships, not overcoming conflict. It doesn't have to be a girl vs boy thing (although it is undoubtedly targeted toward girls to compete with other non--confrontational toys that have proved popular with girls), it is just part of the theme. Ninjago doesn't have firefighters either. I think it is great that Lego has developed a theme that isn't focused on physical confrontation. I have three girls who play with Lego and they request a mix of sets. For Christmas, they requested sets from Friends, Lord of the Rings, and Ninjago. My four year old got a Chima set. They don't see it as a girl vs boy thing.
- hrktb 13y ago
  I'm not convinced on the marketing part. How is a lifeguard post or a ranch more social and less conflicting than firefighters or construction workers ? Now, if I was heavily into buying Lego bricks, I'd also mix from the different sets to have more situations, and my kid doesn't really care if his toys are action figures or dolls.
  - facepalm 13y ago
    I don't think "social" is the selling point. If I just look at "all buildings", only very few of them seem to be about actual work. It's more about having fun in exclusive locations with loving animals.
talmand 13y ago
How about buying the fire fighter set, if the girls want it, and just don't mention boy sets versus girl sets? You know what "traditional" girl toys are? What previous generations, or "parents", say they are.
facepalm 13y ago
How is that a valid criticism? It doesn't have firefighters because it is about other things. It's valid in the same way as complaining that a set about fire fighters doesn't have any police men. Please show me what makes the actual firefighters and policemen "male"? I see some figurines with beards, but many without beards - they could be any gender. Also never mind the fact that including many female fire fighters would be a lie, because the real world isn't really like that.

talmand 13y ago

If I wanted my daughters, or if they wanted, to play with LEGOs that had fire fighters then I would buy the sets that had fire fighters. I just don't bother to say that set is for boys while that set is for girls. One of them loves Transformers and Ninjago, we get her those toys with no mention of boy versus girl toys. I just don't understand what the problem is with needing specially made toys for girls to offset some perceived injustice when they can play with the boy toys just as well.

wvenable 13y ago
The problem with those sets is there are no female firefighter minifigs included.
- facepalm 13y ago
  How would you identify a female firefighter minifig as female? Edit: here is a random LEGO firefighter I googled. What does make it male? http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cMG%2BjM8hL._SL1500_.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cMG%2BjM8hL._SL1500_...
  - krakensden 13y ago
    No secondary sexual characteristics bolted to the torso.
    - facepalm 13y ago
      You mean no boobs?
facepalm 13y ago
I personally think those complaints about female LEGo are ridiculous. I have half a mind to calculate how much it would cost to buy all LEGO kits that have no figurines at all - probably way more than any average family would ever spend on LEGO at all. Also the question is how do you identify female LEGO figurines? If you add feminine traits like lipstick or long hair, aren't you cementing another stereotype? Or adding boobs - again you are exposing yourself to criticism. I'd say as long as it doesn't spot a beard, any LEGO figurine can be taken as male or female at wish. I suspect the criticism assumes LEGO firefighters are male unless they wear lipstick, because I don't think all LEGO firefighters are bearded. And, as you say, what is the problem of playing with a figurine of the opposite sex? We even bought our son a Playmobil horse with girl tender that came in a pink box. I have yet to notice any trauma it might have induced. Maybe the payback will be in 20 years when his psychotherapist will expose our deeds.