More girl lego. No icky barbie

[hxckid88]

http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/lego-responds-to-7-year-old-girl-s-awesome-letter-204212972.html

[Darth_Raichu]

What a perfect prelude for the jungle adventure wave of Friends theme

[TheDarkness]

Great marketing for the female Disney line too.

[Veegs]

Most interesting part was 'a sequel is already in the works' for TLM.  Might have to rethink my investment strategy if the movie (and its sequel really takes off).

[TheOrcKing]

I came across that letter on The Brick Fan a couple of days ago. Honestly, I wonder how much of it was written by the child instead of the child's parent. I'm trying to think of a kid around that age wanting to do the same thing of writing an 'angry letter' to a company and with a pen. At seven years old, all I wanted to do was play video games, watch cartoons, and build Lego. I don't want to be dismissive but when you have people always trying to come up with new ways of getting attention in the media, you have to look from all angles.

[hxckid88]

I came across that letter on The Brick Fan a couple of days ago. Honestly, I wonder how much of it was written by the child instead of the child's parent. I'm trying to think of a kid around that age wanting to do the same thing of writing an 'angry letter' to a company and with a pen. At seven years old, all I wanted to do was play video games, watch cartoons, and build Lego. I don't want to be dismissive but when you have people always trying to come up with new ways of getting attention in the media, you have to look from all angles.

haha fair enough. I'm quite a skeptic about everything media related.

[TheDarkness]

But but but..... if it is shared in Facebook it must be true!

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

[hxckid88]

Or if the president says it than it is defiantly true. Cause the president can't lie.

[TheOrcKing]

But but but..... if it is shared in Facebook it must be true!

I always love hearing the "It was on the news, it must be true! The news stations would never lie!" Sure they wouldn't, and Fox is the must trusted source.

[Grolim]

I came across that letter on The Brick Fan a couple of days ago. Honestly, I wonder how much of it was written by the child instead of the child's parent. I'm trying to think of a kid around that age wanting to do the same thing of writing an 'angry letter' to a company and with a pen. At seven years old, all I wanted to do was play video games, watch cartoons, and build Lego. I don't want to be dismissive but when you have people always trying to come up with new ways of getting attention in the media, you have to look from all angles.

 

That story must have hit global news networks hard.  it even appeared in a local paper here.

 

I too was a bit skeptical.  And even if real, can't the kid just put a 'female' head or hair onto other minifigs, or even play like the minifigs are female as so many of them are pretty androgynous.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

I always love hearing the "It was on the news, it must be true! The news stations would never lie!" Sure they wouldn't, and Fox is the must trusted source.

 

I get more fake news from Fox than the Daily Show.

[hxckid88]

The '' why are the all the lego people yellow and there aren't enough green people lego is racist letter'' will follow.

[TheOrcKing]

That story must have hit global news networks hard.  it even appeared in a local paper here.

 

I too was a bit skeptical.  And even if real, can't the kid just put a 'female' head or hair onto other minifigs, or even play like the minifigs are female as so many of them are pretty androgynous.

Isn't that the beauty of Lego? Complete customization possibilities. I think too some people just simply don't notice many of the woman minifigures in sets such as the ones included with this Garbage Truck, Ambulance, Fire Plane, Fire Emergency, Homing Spider Droid, need I go on? As for her remarks about Friends, I don't get the impression that all the girls do is just 'sit there'. Doesn't Stephanie have a convertible while Olivia owns a Beach Buggy and Speedboat? I also thought Mia has a job selling lemonade and confectionary delights on the side at the Bakery?

 

The '' why are the all the lego people yellow and there aren't enough green people lego is racist letter'' will follow.

I actually am waiting for that letter about there being more white people than blacks in the sets with flesh toned minifigures. It's like how Lando Calrissian was the only black guy in the entire universe according to the original trilogy of Star Wars. :lol:

[Anakinisvader]

I came across that letter on The Brick Fan a couple of days ago. Honestly, I wonder how much of it was written by the child instead of the child's parent. I'm trying to think of a kid around that age wanting to do the same thing of writing an 'angry letter' to a company and with a pen. At seven years old, all I wanted to do was play video games, watch cartoons, and build Lego. I don't want to be dismissive but when you have people always trying to come up with new ways of getting attention in the media, you have to look from all angles.

Her feminist moms probably put her up to it.

[stephen_rockefeller]

With all the atrocities that are taking place as we post in these forums, is gender based marketing really what some people wanna cry about? I mean how about ending world hunger, how about ending the child abuse on this planet. How about Internet predators? Gender based marketing really??

[@rtisan]

With all the atrocities that are taking place as we post in these forums, is gender based marketing really what some people wanna cry about? I mean how about ending world hunger, how about ending the child abuse on this planet. How about Internet predators? Gender based marketing really??

Crazy times we live in, for far too many reasons. Lots of ridiculous stuff on the news, social media, etc. Really quite pathetic if you think about it, there is, like you said, so many more important things to address. People want better toys, well, some people can`t eat. Nothing wrong will buying, collecting, selling, etc, I do it, but it`s really important to keep other things in mind and give them the attention they deserve as well. 

[TheDarkness]

With all the atrocities that are taking place as we post in these forums, is gender based marketing really what some people wanna cry about? I mean how about ending world hunger, how about ending the child abuse on this planet. How about Internet predators? Gender based marketing really??

Most people in the world are too worried about offending someone or stepping on toes as it has become too over sensitized. First world problems indeed.

Sent from my iPhone using Brickpicker

[TheOrcKing]

Most people in the world are too worried about offending someone or stepping on toes as it has become too over sensitized. First world problems indeed.

First world problems, you say....

Maybe as a guy I am simply not seeing the problem here but with my own personal ever increasing collection of lady characters both from the Collectable Minifigures line and regular sets, I just do not see how there are not many females in Lego being well represented. I'm not talking about the obvious choices such as Padme or Leia but the regular everyday kind of woman like Sharon Shoehorn here for example from Castle Cavalry for The Lego Movie. She's a real working girl perfect for anything and her second expression is also one of the best I've seen in a while. I love this minifigure; she's beautiful. Could be considered a little 'too perfect' but come on, it still is a toy afterall.

Anyway, my point being these naysayers are so focused on the negative that they cannot even see the good right in front of their own pupils. In my opinion, they could use a eye exam and a friendly reminder of what they think is missing is not true. There are plenty of women in Lego; they just aren't looking.

[TheOrcKing]

Well, Lego finally responded to the girl's letter asking for more women minfigures.

Via The Brick Fan

 

We are grateful that we have a product that so many children around the world engage with. Each year hundreds of thousands of children all over the world reach out to us after playing with our products, and give us positive feedback and suggestions for ways to improve. We reply to all consumers who reach out to us, and this answer is between us and the consumer unless the consumer decides to share our response of course.

 

We believe that LEGO

[wholovesboo]

All I can say is, the only thing limiting you, kid, is a lack of imagination.

[Gottabuildemall]

As a girl (though always a tomboy) I can understand the little girl's complaint.  Sure, we can just put female minifigs in the castle and space sets and let them go on adventures.  The hard part is keeping the "girly" aspects.  I have a feeling this little girl wants girly adventures.  For example, going to space in ships that are colorful pinks and purples.  Some parts can easily be interchanged out, but some of the specialty curved pieces are only available in standard darker colors.  

 

I don't take think this letter should be taken as feminist or start a gender war, but merely to plant a few more ideas into the lego set designers to expand their audience.  When I was little I think I had one "girl" lego set (the one with the horse transport and small stable) and I think I only got it because a family member noticed it was the only "girl" set on the shelf.  It's great to see that lego has expanded to include girls more in the past 20 years, but it would be great if there were just as many girls into lego as boys.  We'd probably see many more girls in engineering and other male dominated fields.  

[TheOrcKing]

As a girl (though always a tomboy) I can understand the little girl's complaint.  Sure, we can just put female minifigs in the castle and space sets and let them go on adventures.  The hard part is keeping the "girly" aspects.  I have a feeling this little girl wants girly adventures.  For example, going to space in ships that are colorful pinks and purples.  Some parts can easily be interchanged out, but some of the specialty curved pieces are only available in standard darker colors.

Your statement about "keeping the girly aspects" reminded me about some of the female characters in a few City sets such as the Garbage Truck and Ambulance designs from two years ago. One can spot the guy from the gal apart; however, all they really are is just a simple head with hair swap. The torsos are the same 'unisex' design which does work overall but because of that generic printing, she looks less 'girly' since there is no feminine frame printed across her torso meaning if it wasn't for the womanly attributes on the face, how could you honestly tell the minifigure was a woman?

As for the part of a spaceship or anything else for the matter in colorful pinks and purples, I would not be surprised if sometime down the road, the Friends girls decide to venture into outer space and we see sets such as Olivia's Rocket Ship, Stephanie's Space Station, or perhaps even Mia's Mech Hangar. If not then I'll pitch the ideas to Lego 'cause that actually sounds kind of cool.

[Alcarin]

As a girl (though always a tomboy) I can understand the little girl's complaint.  Sure, we can just put female minifigs in the castle and space sets and let them go on adventures.  The hard part is keeping the "girly" aspects.  I have a feeling this little girl wants girly adventures.  For example, going to space in ships that are colorful pinks and purples.  Some parts can easily be interchanged out, but some of the specialty curved pieces are only available in standard darker colors.  

 

I don't take think this letter should be taken as feminist or start a gender war, but merely to plant a few more ideas into the lego set designers to expand their audience.  When I was little I think I had one "girl" lego set (the one with the horse transport and small stable) and I think I only got it because a family member noticed it was the only "girl" set on the shelf.  It's great to see that lego has expanded to include girls more in the past 20 years, but it would be great if there were just as many girls into lego as boys.  We'd probably see many more girls in engineering and other male dominated fields.  

 

Have you ever seen NASA use Pink Space Shuttle? To me its ridiculous to make Space Shuttle anything but White and similar colors that are used actually... it needs to resemble actual spacecraft....

 

Some things are just male oriented.... Just like it would be ridiculous to see Police car in pink or purple....

[TheOrcKing]

Have you ever seen NASA use Pink Space Shuttle? To me its ridiculous to make Space Shuttle anything but White and similar colors that are used actually... it needs to resemble actual spacecraft....

Some things are just male oriented.... Just like it would be ridiculous to see Police car in pink or purple....

Why does it have to be based on reality? I thought part of the very purpose with Lego was unlimited creativity. Okay, it would be odd to see a purple patrol car driving down the streets in real life but as an imaginative toy goes, why not? Far as I know, dragons, orcs, or trolls never existed yet we have plenty of Castle related types of sets with them included. Also, it isn't like any of the Castle sets are completely based on real life fortresses and ramparts.

I have not seen a pink NASA Space Shuttle, or a green Garbage Truck, or even a yellow City Bank in my life but that doesn't mean Lego should be limited to boring old gray color palettes simply because that is 'true to life'. Lego is about creative imagination. In other words, a long series of "Why not?" questions. To me, it would be more ridiculous to not see differently colored designs than a whole lot of the same thing over and over again because, again, that is 'true to life'.

[Gottabuildemall]

Have you ever seen NASA use Pink Space Shuttle? To me its ridiculous to make Space Shuttle anything but White and similar colors that are used actually... it needs to resemble actual spacecraft....

 

Some things are just male oriented.... Just like it would be ridiculous to see Police car in pink or purple....

 

Not all lego sets resemble real life.  I seem to remember quite a few of the old space sets that had blue spacecrafts.  Does NASA use blue spaceships?  No.  But it's a favorite color of boys and a little more fun/interchangeable than more grey, white and black pieces.  With more girls being interested in Lego, why not have a purple ship?  I wouldn't push for a pink Lego spaceship, but purple would be just as inaccurate as blue.  I wouldn't expect large $100+ sets to be girl oriented either, but a series of smaller pink sets would make quite a few little girls happy.  It's just another market available for Lego.  Why not take advantage of it?