Gender-neutral move of Lego leaves Twitter elated

Toy production company Lego has now decided to remove gender bias from its products. A study by Lego proved that the unequal and restrictive attitudes towards creativity and play had been an obstruction towards girls.

The company has not made any changes to its products or marketing. However, while announcing on October 11, they said that there would be no more gender bias and harmful stereotypes. The new move has received a mixed reaction from the public.

In a press release, the company said it was important for society to rebuild perceptions, actions, and words and support children's creative empowerment.

In order to make their company more inclusive, the brand announced a campaign named, Ready for Girls, which emphasizes female creativity.

A few short films feature the achievements of girls and young women that include people like Fatima Alkaabi and Chelsea Phaire. The former is the youngest inventor in the United Arab Emirates, and Phaire established a charity that provides art supplies to children in America.

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Reasons explored behind Lego’s new decision

A glimpse of the Lego toys (Image via Lego)

A research conducted by Lego and Geena Davis Institute surveyed around 7,000 parents and children between the ages of 6 and 14 in China, Japan, Russia, the USA, Czech Republic, UK, and Poland.

The survey found that girls felt less restrained by their usual gender biases than boys in terms of creative play. They are open to several types of imaginative play compared to what is encouraged by their parents and society.

It added that parents answering the survey imagined a man in different creative professions. They have a high probability to imagine men as scientists, athletes, and engineers. The children covered under the survey share the same results except that girls mainly consider various professions to be for men and women.

The study proved that parents encouraged their sons for physical activities and preferred dance, dress up, and baking for daughters.

In an interview with The Guardian, chief executive of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Madeline Di Nonno, said that the behaviour of men is more valued in today’s society. She added that the community must understand that behaviours and activities associated with women are equally important.