A very spirited young girl was frustrated with her lack of girl options for Legos. Instead of keeping quiet on the subject, she decided to voice her concerns to the company itself. In a very strongly worded letter, seven-year-old Charlotte Benjamin let Lego know that she feels there should be more options for girls, at least as many options as there are for boys. The letter appeared online last Tuesday, and was quickly shared, creating a huge buzz.
Lego Company’s Response
After the letter went viral online, the company posted a response on Monday evening, telling Charlotte and the rest of the world that they are very focused on expanding on the number of options available to girls and building on the themes that have been introduced. The letter’s fast response has encouraged many that see inequalities in other toys, and has created quite a stir among those that agree with the letter, and those that disagree.
While many were quick to side with Charlotte and ask for more girl characters to be introduced, others were more critical of the idea of characters in general. Critics say that Legos were gender neutral once upon a time, and the introduction of the characters has worked at dividing the gender roles, rather than eliminating gender divisions.
This is not the first time that a child has made a difference in gender divisions in toys. In 2012, McKenna Pope asked Hasbro for an Easy Bake Oven that was in more boy-themed colors for her little brother, rather than the traditional pink. Hasbro responded with a black and silver oven. Change.org has asked the United states to join European countries in working to end gender-based marketing.