This has been an interesting topic to read other opinions and viewpoints on. I discussed this with my mom recently and it brought back memories of having girl "legos" when I was a kid. My only irritation with it back then was that they were generic and couldn't be used with the regular legos because they were just off enough that they didn't match up!
But, now, as a parent, I have a different point of view. My problem isn't with Lego, or with the marketing used. It's with PARENTS who choose to only expose their children to gender-specific toys. Yes, Lego is marketing things a certain way, but it's the parents who ultimately make the decision on what toys are brought into their household for their children. In our household, we have decided to go the Waldorf route - basic, simple, open-ended toys. If we were to ever do Legos at all, I'd probably buy a set of both and mix them all together. ALL COLORS!
I don't think that the colors of Legos is going to impact a child's gender. Will it make it harder if that child is being forced into one category when they actually identify with another? Probably. But then so will everything else in the world. I agree with what others said about making things "gender-neutral" and actually making them masculine. Femininity is okay. Pink is okay. Princesses are okay. If it's the child's choice whether the child is male or female.
As a parent, I have more of an issue with the commercialization of toys. I don't care if Lego makes a boy set and a girl set. I do have a HUGE issue with STAR WARS/PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN/CARS/HARRY POTTER (etc.) Legos. We've made a choice to not expose our children to those things until later. Which is damn hard since EVERYTHING is branded.
Who knew toys could be such a political issue? My son is much more happy to play with cardboard and spoons than he is with other toys. We don't even buy him stuff! Everything he has are presents from other people.
The end. I have to stop now. I have a lot of thoughts about this topic :)
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This has been an interesting topic to read other opinions and viewpoints on. I discussed this with my mom recently and it brought back memories of having girl "legos" when I was a kid. My only irritation with it back then was that they were generic and couldn't be used with the regular legos because they were just off enough that they didn't match up!
But, now, as a parent, I have a different point of view. My problem isn't with Lego, or with the marketing used. It's with PARENTS who choose to only expose their children to gender-specific toys. Yes, Lego is marketing things a certain way, but it's the parents who ultimately make the decision on what toys are brought into their household for their children. In our household, we have decided to go the Waldorf route - basic, simple, open-ended toys. If we were to ever do Legos at all, I'd probably buy a set of both and mix them all together. ALL COLORS!
I don't think that the colors of Legos is going to impact a child's gender. Will it make it harder if that child is being forced into one category when they actually identify with another? Probably. But then so will everything else in the world. I agree with what others said about making things "gender-neutral" and actually making them masculine. Femininity is okay. Pink is okay. Princesses are okay. If it's the child's choice whether the child is male or female.
As a parent, I have more of an issue with the commercialization of toys. I don't care if Lego makes a boy set and a girl set. I do have a HUGE issue with STAR WARS/PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN/CARS/HARRY POTTER (etc.) Legos. We've made a choice to not expose our children to those things until later. Which is damn hard since EVERYTHING is branded.
Who knew toys could be such a political issue? My son is much more happy to play with cardboard and spoons than he is with other toys. We don't even buy him stuff! Everything he has are presents from other people.
The end. I have to stop now. I have a lot of thoughts about this topic :)