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Original poster

Lego for girls and 'bring back beautiful'

64 replies

rlhoban · 22/12/2011 08:38

Hi there

I'm tiptoeing in as I'm new to the boards, but was just on the Lego Facebook page where lots of parents are getting upset about the new Lego sets for girls. I thought "I bet the guys on mumsnet will have an opinion or two on this". I've done a search and couldn't find it being discussed already so thought i'd start a thread.

Lots of people cross with Lego for falling into line with the whole 'girls can only cope with pink, purple and cupcake shops' thing. A few lone voices telling them to get over themselves.

I'm with team 'bring back beautiful' (coming from a 1981 LEGO advert with a girl in jeans proudly holding up her creation. My 4yo has lots of pink stuff in her life, but not LEGO, please. I hate the message this sends out.

What do you think?

Rosa x

OP posts:
belgo · 22/12/2011 08:39

What are you objecting to? Belville?

mrsravelstein · 22/12/2011 08:41

i loved lego as a kid, and to be honest i find it saddest that instead of using basic lego to build amazing stuff, you now just buy a specific lego kit to build a spaceship or a submarine, it seems a bit limiting somehow (i sound old, i know, i know)

Kayano · 22/12/2011 08:41

I think people have the option not to buy it and they don't need to kick up this much fuss.

Lots of girls AND boys like pink, purple and cupcakes. Make your objection with your wallet and stop trying to
Thrust it in my pink loving face Grin

ObiWanWithBellsOn · 22/12/2011 08:42

Someone must be buying it or Lego wouldn't bother.

My sons have put in requests for the box of bricks with the pink and purple ones in it.

belgo · 22/12/2011 08:42

I've found the FB page you are referring to and I am cringing at the use of the word 'Legos' Xmas Grin

Original poster
rlhoban · 22/12/2011 08:43

They're bringing something out called Lego 'friends', with a shop and a hot tub(?!). The minifigures are a different shape, with boobs.

OP posts:
minimisschief · 22/12/2011 08:43

love lego and when my dd is older i will be getting pink and purple lego. I do not see the harm in letting girls enjoy playing with girly things in the same way i dont see the harm if she was into traditionally boy colours and toys.

AFuckingFestiveKnackeredWoman · 22/12/2011 08:43

Lego is pretty unisex though,if you don't like the pink set don't buy it.

some girls like pink and some dont... Why all the fuss

santastooearlymustdache · 22/12/2011 08:43

lego with breasts?

really?

have you got a link?

belgo · 22/12/2011 08:44

I don't think Belville is that bad, because it's not the only sort of Lego available to girls. All Lego is available to girls. I mainly object to Belville because the quality of the dolls is rubbish.

I do like that picture of the girl in jeans.

Original poster
rlhoban · 22/12/2011 08:46

@belgos, I know! Legos?!

I just wish they'd advertise all the sets with girls and boys, nit Market them so separately. And yep, big boxes of blocks for everone to play with.

OP posts:
troisgarcons · 22/12/2011 08:46

Its lego. you biuld things with it. Why should it all be primary colours?

If you don't like it, don't buy it. Lego wouldnt be making it without market reasearch and ascertaining a market demand for it.

belgo · 22/12/2011 08:46

Lego minigiure with breasts

bruffin · 22/12/2011 08:47

I not overkeen on the new girl range and hate the belville range. But lego is tested and marketed for boys and when dd was younger they did nothing that appealed to her other than harry potter. I complained to lego and they replied that they were bringing out the houses.

Original poster
rlhoban · 22/12/2011 08:48

Lots of pics here www.geekologie.com/2011/12/lego-friends-lego-releases-toy-line-for.php

OP posts:
Original poster
rlhoban · 22/12/2011 08:49

Sorry www.geekologie.com/2011/12/lego-friends-lego-releases-toy-line-for.php

OP posts:
santastooearlymustdache · 22/12/2011 08:49

cheers for the link

it's a bathing suit

your breasts show in a bathing suit

i agree that there is no need to market as girls v boys toys though

5318hoho8 · 22/12/2011 08:50

I think you are objecting to pinkification of lego - yes?
a thread about lego and girls, taken randomly from the archives

bruffin · 22/12/2011 08:50

My nieces are early 20s and had a lovely box of pastel bricks that dd inherited.

santastooearlymustdache · 22/12/2011 08:51

ah...the 'friends' link reveals a different side of the coin

that's really over the top isn't it?

no need at all for that

nancerama · 22/12/2011 08:56

I have no objection to Lego being created in all colours of the rainbow. DH though is a Lego purist who disagrees.

I am troubled though by the amount of toys being very girl or boy specific - particularly toys that were gender neutral when I was a kid. One of my favourite toys which was loved in equal measure by boys and girls was the Big Yellow Teapot. I saw one the other day and it's pink now :(

I have a pink kitchen and until recently drove a pink car, so I'm not averse to the colour, I just think kids should have much more choice.

Mutt · 22/12/2011 08:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
rlhoban · 22/12/2011 09:02

It's not the pinkness of it, I'm not fussed about the colour, and pink lego has been around for yonks, and the Belville stuff etc as mentioned - it's the fact that the dolls are a different shape from all other lego minifigs, that it features a beauty parlour, cupcake shop and hottub. As people have said, I don't need to buy it and there is lots of other lego out there - but they are calling it 'a whole new lego world for girls'. I don't think I'll be introducing my daughter to that world.

OP posts:
Original poster
rlhoban · 22/12/2011 09:03

@mutt ha ha, you could take her.

OP posts:
brdgrl · 22/12/2011 09:03

I, for one, am sick to death of the gender-ing of toys. Tired of hearing how my six-year-old nephew "doesn't want that; it's a girl's toy" (oh, yes he does, trust me!). Tired of walking into store after store this christmas and seeing aisles of "girl" and "boy" toys. Tired of the constant messages about what is appropriate for my daughter, who right now is in love with dinosaurs, tonka trucks, and her baby doll, because she is too young and too sheltered from the princess brigade to know better, thank god.

this article says it pretty well. www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mary-ann-sieghart/mary-ann-sieghart-its-up-to-parents-to-resist-the-tyranny-of-the-pink-princesses-6279125.html