Lego, the world number one in toys, has decided to do away with toys labeled “for girls” and “for boys”. The manufacturer is committed against gender prejudices.
This is a big step for the Lego brand, but also for the world of children’s toys. Danish manufacturer is on the lookout for phasing out all “girls” and “boys” labels from its products and marketing, reports The Guardiantarget = “_ blank”>. The goal: to fight against gender stereotypes rooted in our societies. For this, the toys will no longer be classified by sex but by major themes.
This decision follows the results of a vast investigationtarget = “_ blank”> of the company carried out with the Geena Davis Institute, which campaigns for equal representation of women. They interviewed nearly 7,000 people, including children between the ages of 6 and 14, in China, Japan, the United States, Poland, Russia, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. The results reveal that gender labels guide and limit consumer choice.
71% of young boys are afraid to play with games for girls
From this study, several alarming figures emerged. Among them, many children do not dare to play with certain games. More than 70% of the boys questioned are afraid that they will be laughed at if they play with so-called “girls” toys. Moreover, the parents themselves are worried about his possible mockery.
These stereotypes even influence the future of children in the long term, in particular on their choice of career. Neurobiologist Gina Rippon, author of The Gendered Brain, assured The Guardian: “There is an asymmetry. We encourage girls to play with ‘boy stuff’ but not the other way around. This is a problem because toys provide training opportunities. If the girls don’t play with Lego or other construction toys, they don’t develop the space skills that will help them later. If the dolls are offered to girls but not boys, then they will lack educational skills. “
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The Lego brand is committed
The toy brand wants to be more inclusive. “Our job now is to encourage boys and girls who want to play with sets that have traditionally been seen as not ‘for them'”, said Julia Goldin, director of products and marketing at Lego Group. Last June, she was already launching her “Everyone’s Awesome” construction kit with LGBT + colored figures.