The Ladyfigs have a hot tub, a splash pool, a beauty parlor, an outdoor bakery and a convertible as well as an inventor’s workshop.
SPARK says that the male figures have tasks like building space shuttles while the female figures can have their hair done. Edell says that “it just disturbs us that this is the image that they want girls to see.” SPARK has organized tens of thousands in protesting the new line.
The line does include Olivia’s Inventor’s Workshop and Heartlake Vet. The parents can of course chose any number of sets of blocks for the female figures — the whole concept of LEGO is that they are interchangeable.
While LEGO has introduced more professional options for these figures, SPARK insists that it is not enough. They still object to the availability of the other items like the beauty parlor:
These kinds of toys aren’t what girls want, they’re what girls are told they should want: feminine, frilly activities with little need for building and more focus on the Lego “Ladyfigs” looking so super cute in their hot tubs, singing in what appears to be a nightclub and driving around in a convertible.
As the father of three boys and a girl, I have to disagree. I have previously written that Leslie and I have found strong gender preferences in toys and games distinguishing our kids. We have raised our kids without any preconceptions and Madie tends to play as roughly as the boys. However, she has always tended to favor classic girl pursuits from cooking sets to beauty parlors. Likewise, as I have discussed in prior columns (here and here), the boys have tended to favor toy guns and war games. I have observed the same tendency in other families, liberal and conservative.
Studies have confirmed differences in how men and women think and learn as well as other differences. Is it so difficult to believe that these differences would extend to the play and preferences of children?
The important thing is that not only does the company offer professional sets for girls but parents can buy any sets to suit their preferences. However, I do not see why girls should not be allowed to buy the beauty parlor or other sets that are designed for girls. This seems to me to be more about the parents’ idea of fun than the kids.
What do you think?
Source: Hot Air