40516 - Everyone is Awesome

[TheOrcKing]

If I were to look upon this set as just a build, it is a nicely simple one. However the inclusive message behind the set makes such an opinion irrelevant really. The LEGO Company could have passed over the inclusion of hairstyles making all included minifigures boringly bald but in doing so would have undermined the very statement this set is supporting. Particular hairstyles and colours have typically or habitually been seen or classified as either masculine or feminine for the longest time. As society goes on we are slowly stepping away from that "ole world thinking". And if not then we need to be.

Honestly I love this set, the minifigures and what it all stands for. I praise the LEGO Company for openly supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and working towards a diverse workplace with Stonewall, Workplace Pride, and Open For Business.

[elmaslıefendi]

11 minutes ago, TheOrcKing said:

As society goes on we are slowly stepping away from that "ole world thinking". And if not then we need to be.

No, we don't need to be stepping away from anything. I don't have to do nothing. I can tolerate it, but I don't have to support, celebrate or accept it. Same way they don't do it. I'm only returning their behaviour.

Ironic how this whole movement, a minority, cries for freedom, but doesn't care one bit about the ones, maybe the majority, who don't want this change, this new world. What about their freedom? Isn't it hypocritical?

We now live in a society where I can support this & but can't say anything against it without getting cancelled. Not everyone has the same moral structure where you can do anything without consequences in this life, guess what, some still believe in God & an afterlife. And it's not just a few who believe it, even if some would like it that way! What about those who do & those who want to respect certain laws? Maybe they have a different idea of decency, how about respecting that?

[vincevaughn]

2 hours ago, keymomachine said:

I guess I'm confused about where you see the controversy here. It seems like you have a problem with LEGO acknowledging and embracing a community that you personally take issue with. Your statement feels like you may be telling LEGO to "stick to sports" or the like because you disagree with the political message they are sending by releasing this set. What if... the world wasn't so cold and brutal? What if... we rebuilt the world with love and acceptance? 

Do not mistake my dislike of the set for intolerance.  I will freely admit I am a traditionalist and am not a fan of said lifestyles.  BUT the ideal that we all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is of the absolute highest order and must be protected.  I have spent the last 15 years with my life on the line to defend that right.  I was merely commenting that everything is divided and polarized with in fighting and some more fanciful neutral ground would help to calm the waters, not make more ripples.  I did say there are definitely discussions and things that need to be addressed.....I just don't feel LEGO (or any consumer product company) should be involved in social discussions.  And that goes for all sides.  If, for example, they made a pro 2nd amendment set or an anti-abortion set I would level the same criticism, even though I agree with those sentiments.

And yes the world would be amazing with love and acceptance.  I grew up with Star Trek and the idea that in the future these things wouldn't be an issue and everyone would respect each other and work toward a common goal is a beautiful dream.  However, that is a fantasy that human kind will never reach on a complete level.

[Darth_Raichu]

The name of this set is misleading.  Using an inherently inclusive word (everyone) to represent an inherently exclusive group (LGBTQ+) is problematic.  If LEGO want to celebrate Pride month, then call the set what it is, 2020 Rainbow flag celebration (or something along the line). 

However, if LEGO truly want to celebrate everyone, then they should have included Minifigures in all available colors they can produce.  Add light green, grey, light grey, tan, etc etc.  Imagine a little girl whose favorite color is light green looking at this set and turning to her mom saying "but I thought it says EVERYONE" 

[BricksBrotha]

This would have been more with aligned with the kids these days.

"Everyone is Sus"  fr reddit

[CosmicSpeed]

34 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

The name of this set is misleading.  Using an inherently inclusive word (everyone) to represent an inherently exclusive group (LGBTQ+) is problematic.  If LEGO want to celebrate Pride month, then call the set what it is, 2020 Rainbow flag celebration (or something along the line). 

However, if LEGO truly want to celebrate everyone, then they should have included Minifigures in all available colors they can produce.  Add light green, grey, light grey, tan, etc etc.  Imagine a little girl whose favorite color is light green looking at this set and turning to her mom saying "but I thought it says EVERYONE" 

I agree with you on the challenging nature of the name and the message it portrays. I can also understand some of viewpoints that  @vincevaughn and @elmaslıefendi bring up. 

It really is interesting that NOT including the hair for any of the minifigures in the set might have made it less of an issue overall, but the name itself does itself portray as misleading as EVERYONE. I support LGBTQ+, but I am also a straight man. So am i represented in this set? Am I awesome?

Also, the girl in your last sentence is my 6yo daughter, but she really hasn't commented on the set. She loves light / neon green and I know Lego could accomodate this.

[Gonkalin]

I feel that many of you are way over analyzing this whole thing. Lego is putting out a set that is supportive of an under-supported segment of our communities. And that's a great thing. I'm a straight white man and I whole heartedly support the LGBTQ+ community. I would hope that people would understand what Lego's intention is by putting out a set like this. And not get caught up in (not trying to pick on you Darth) where is neon green, or desert tan. For those who are under-represented seeing something like this is hopefully well received because of it's intent. No one is ever going to make everyone happy. Especially when talking to a global audience. But kudos to Lego for taking a step in trying to put out a positive message to the world about acceptance. And white, straight men don't need a lego set to make them feel special because there are thousands of lego sets specifically marketed to that segment of the population. 

[Mathew]

I’m not offended or impressed.  It’s a rather uninteresting set from a build standpoint. Reminds me of the women of NASA set. I’m sure it will receive tons of accolades and resellers will hoard them. In a couple of years the hype will be long gone and it will be worth $75 on the aftermarket. 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Mathew

[Roklion]

wow. Away from the site for a few days, this thread really takes a turn.

I like the idea there probably can be some improvement on the hairstyle included in the set. But I agree with @Gonkalin more. Involved with LGBTQ+ community a lot last year, I feel the core is to embrace openness and inclusiveness. If you are truly supporting the community, then you should already know why it can be good set (with the right message in the marketing of the set, of course) even if it does not include every single color Lego can/will make.

Please don't try to narraw the idea of Pride month/celebration - yes, it is to celebrate certain communities/group of people, but it is not to reject others.

[Darth_Raichu]

36 minutes ago, Gonkalin said:

I feel that many of you are way over analyzing this whole thing. Lego is putting out a set that is supportive of an under-supported segment of our communities. And that's a great thing. I'm a straight white man and I whole heartedly support the LGBTQ+ community. I would hope that people would understand what Lego's intention is by putting out a set like this. And not get caught up in (not trying to pick on you Darth) where is neon green, or desert tan. For those who are under-represented seeing something like this is hopefully well received because of it's intent. No one is ever going to make everyone happy. Especially when talking to a global audience. But kudos to Lego for taking a step in trying to put out a positive message to the world about acceptance. And white, straight men don't need a lego set to make them feel special because there are thousands of lego sets specifically marketed to that segment of the population. 

 

18 minutes ago, Roklion said:

wow. Away from the site for a few days, this thread really takes a turn.

I like the idea there probably can be some improvement on the hairstyle included in the set. But I agree with @Gonkalin more. Involved with LGBTQ+ community a lot last year, I feel the core is to embrace openness and inclusiveness. If you are truly supporting the community, then you should already know why it can be good set (with the right message in the marketing of the set, of course) even if it does not include every single color Lego can/will make.

Please don't try to narraw the idea of Pride month/celebration - yes, it is to celebrate certain communities/group of people, but it is not to reject others.

My main contention is putting the proper labeling/title on the set.  For the group of people whose precise pronouns are paramount, it would be respectful to put a precise name for the set that celebrate them.

[Gonkalin]

4 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

 

My main contention is putting the proper labeling/title on the set.  For the group of people whose precise pronouns are paramount, it would be respectful to put a precise name for the set that celebrate them.

I hear ya. TLG Marketing couldn't help themselves tying the Everyone is Awesome to the Everything is Awesome tag line.

[Roklion]

6 minutes ago, Gonkalin said:

TLG Marketing couldn't help themselves tying the Everyone is Awesome to the Everything is Awesome tag line.

haha, unfortunately not as catchy IMO.

[Mathew]

23 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

...precise pronouns are paramount, it would be respectful to put a precise name for the set that celebrate them.

Maybe they should rename the set “Everyone gets triggered”  or “Everyone is a snowflake”.  Most accurate is “Everyone is manipulated” which interestingly ties back to one of the darker themes of The Lego Movie. 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Mathew

[Alpinemaps]

Regardless of whether my collector hat or reseller hat on, I buy sets that interest me and don’t buy sets that don’t interest me.

I will just quietly make my choice on this set as I do with all the other LEGO sets out there.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[$20 on joe vs dan]

6 hours ago, vincevaughn said:

  I grew up with Star Trek and the idea that in the future these things wouldn't be an issue and everyone would respect each other and work toward a common goal is a beautiful dream.  However, that is a fantasy that human kind will never reach on a complete level.

BTW, the Star trek you grew up with had mostly white males ...or equivalent aliens in charge and in leadership roles.  

so yes, the "beautiful WHITE MALE dream"

not gonna knock it cuz I am a trekkie too and yes it was a bit jarring when these things changed w/ DS9 and Voyager...but I gotta question WHY was it jarring to me???

[fuzzy_bricks]

5 hours ago, Darth_Raichu said:

The name of this set is misleading. 

I'm pretty sure Lego doesn't mean everyone is awesome.  There have been some terrible people throughout history.

14 hours ago, $20 on joe vs dan said:

it's one thing to acknowledge physical differences...but please keep in mind there's very few negative connotations w/ "white folks hair" but for many of color, the media has put up a lot of negatives about certain hair types for generations...so some folks may be a bit touchy on the subject...I have tried to fit in for most of my youth trying to obtain the impossible image that the media was telling me was the ideal. And now here's LEGO telling me the yellow minifigure should have a bowl cut. 

While I am certainly not an expert, I don't think the yellow is supposed to be a race in the pride flag, and neither is white, the way black and brown are being represented.

https://www.health.com/mind-body/different-pride-flags-what-they-represent

11 hours ago, raindroplet said:

If you see the representation of a group of people as "political", then surely you have the same problem with pistols in Star Wars sets (Pro-2nd Amendment) or the lack of cash registers in hospital sets (universal healthcare)?

I don't think these arguments work as the guns are more of an issue with Lego sticking with the source material, and I've never paid for services rendered at a hospital, especially not at a cash register.

[$20 on joe vs dan]

5 minutes ago, fuzzy_bricks said:

I'm pretty sure Lego doesn't mean everyone is awesome.  There have been some terrible people throughout history.

so we can expect the sequel set: "Everyone's NOT Awesome"

[exciter1]

7 minutes ago, $20 on joe vs dan said:

so we can expect the sequel set: "Everyone's NOT Awesome"

[Alpinemaps]

1 hour ago, fuzzy_bricks said:

While I am certainly not an expert, I don't think the yellow is supposed to be a race in the pride flag, and neither is white, the way black and brown are being represented.

https://www.health.com/mind-body/different-pride-flags-what-they-represent

TIL...

You are correct.  The original flag color meaning:

Quote

Pink stood for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit.

Regarding black and brown:

Quote

In 2017, the rainbow flag underwent a further change. Philadelphia campaign group More Color More Pride added two extra stripes of black and brown to the flag to include people of color, who are often excluded from the LGBTQ+ community.

In this particular case, yes, black and brown are representative of people of color, whereas the other colors are not.  This begs the question - are we whitewashing the consideration of Asian peoples, who are typically seen as "yellow," compared to Latino, Indian, and Middle Eastern peoples.

I realize LEGO didn't intend this to get politicized, but it's hard to argue that this set hasn't opened up a dialogue that will get political.  Maybe it's one that needs to be had?  Not for me to decide. 

[fuzzy_bricks]

5 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

In this particular case, yes, black and brown are representative of people of color, whereas the other colors are not.  This begs the question - are we whitewashing the consideration of Asian peoples, who are typically seen as "yellow," compared to Latino, Indian, and Middle Eastern peoples.

Is yellow offensive or not?  I'm not sure after the whole Dr. Suess controversy.

Unless you've got a mouse in your pocket, "we" aren't whitewashing anything, I have no control over the pride flag or what each color represents.

[KShine]

Adding purely racial components to a flag promoting pride in ones sexual identity is absurd.

[Alpinemaps]

Is yellow offensive or not?  I'm not sure after the whole Dr. Suess controversy.
Unless you've got a mouse in your pocket, "we" aren't whitewashing anything, I have no control over the pride flag or what each color represents.

Well, yellow was offensive to a user here earlier in the thread. Or at least, his view that the hair piece provided for the minifig was a stereotype.

And the “we” I’m talking about is the royal we, in the sense of society (or maybe LEGO as a company) and not anyone specially here.

[$20 on joe vs dan]

32 minutes ago, KShine said:

Adding purely racial components to a flag promoting pride in ones sexual identity is absurd.

1 flag, 1 planet, 1 sheeple

[$20 on joe vs dan]

1 hour ago, fuzzy_bricks said:

Is yellow offensive or not?  I'm not sure after the whole Dr. Suess controversy.

Unless you've got a mouse in your pocket, "we" aren't whitewashing anything, I have no control over the pride flag or what each color represents.

being asian, I would say being considered "Yellow" is offensive

it's deeper than just being associated to a color (which is generally offensive at various levels)...yellow in western culture is also associated with cowardice

some contrarian examples to the above is the confusion when African Americans often refer to each other as "Black"...in the case of yellow...I know of zero examples of asians referring to other asians as "yellow".

Also the term "Brown" has  a lot of negative connotations...the obvious being associated w/ turds (NOT the LEGO variety)

Ultimately maybe the bigger issue is it's no longer generally acceptable to make generalizations

[Darth_Raichu]

29 minutes ago, KShine said:

Adding purely racial components to a flag promoting pride in ones sexual identity is absurd.

This 100%. Where is the color for mixed race trans people? Or the Arab descents? Etc and so forth.

Here I thought the Rainbow flag was supposed to represent REGARDLESS of race.  How is this suppose to project inclusivity?