7-Year-Old Girl Writes to Lego: Demands More Active Girl Figures
A 7-year-old girl has written to the Lego company, requesting the manufacturers make more "lego girl" minifigures that "go on adventures and have fun."
"All the girls did was sit at home, go to the beach, and shop, and they had no jobs, but the boys went on adventures, worked, saved people, and had jobs, even swam with sharks," 7-year-old Charlotte Benjamin wrote in a letter that has gone viral on social media. After the girl's father sent it to The Society Pages website, the group shared it on Twitter, where it found 2,542 "retweets" and 1,041 "favorites."
The United Kingdom's Education and Childcare Minister, Elizabeth Truss, warned that toys marketing science and math to boys may be turning girls off of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) at an early age, The Daily Mail reported. Truss called for an end to "segregation in toy departments," in order to broaden girls' horizons.
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"The idea that a chemistry set should be for boys is the antithesis of what we want to promote," Truss declared.
"I've got two daughters and I've bought traditional Lego and Lego Friends," the girl version, Truss explained, addressing the Lego issue. "To some extent you've got to engage children in what they're interested in – you can't just present something that's totally different," she said.
In September, Lego released a new female mini-figure, the scientist Professor C. Bodin, winner of the "Nobrick Prize." Alatariel Elensar, the figure's creator, admitted that female figures are the minority. "I have designed some professional female mini-figures that also show that girls can become anything they want," Elensar said.
Emma Owen, a spokeswoman for LEGO United Kingdom, said the company has "a variety of female mini-figures in our assortment." Owen praised kids who give feedback to the company, saying, "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."
"In general, we believe that LEGO play appeals to children of both genders and all ages," Owen declared. "Building with LEGO bricks fosters the creativity of children which is why it's our mission to offer any child – regardless of their age, gender, or interests – a relevant LEGO play experience."
For 7-year-old Charlotte Benjamin, however, that promise is not fulfilled. "My name is Charlotte, I am 7 years old and I love legos but I don't like that there are more lego boy people and barely any lego girls," she wrote. "I want you to make more lego girl people and let them go on adventures and have fun, ok!?!"
