Saturday, April 21, 2012

Adding Girls to Legoland Is Sexist?

Harrumph. First Legoland consisted of blocks, which were adequate for my brother and me to stick together to build houses for our dolls--oh, right, his were "figures"--and toy animals. Then they got fancy and added things like cars and trees, and then boxy little men. No women. Now they've added a few feminine figures, identified by hair, miniskirts, and minimally curvey figures...and a feminist group is saying that that's sexist:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/20/activists-outraged-by-lego-line-for-girls-to-meet-with-company-executives/?test=latestnews

Looks like Lego would be blasted if they did and blasted if they didn't add a few girl figures to the traditional group of guys. I'd rather see Lego's "lady figures" in full-length skirts or jeans, myself, but before women start twisting our knickers, can we remember that the male figures have come in various types and colors over the years?

Want to protest something that "sexualizes" eight-year-old girls, sisters? Try protesting the "cultural trend" where society doesn't accept enough responsibility for school-aged girls (or boys) to allow them to go to the store, or even the library, alone after school. In some of these United States, the practice of allowing middle school moppets to meet a parent at the library after school (which was a big treat for my brother and me) has been declared criminal. Abuse and neglect! The kids might not be "safe"! All adults other than parents and teachers, in these states, are apparently kidnappers and molesters, and no child, even an 11-year-old who's the size of a short adult and may be shaving or wearing a bra, has the ability to go to the library desk and report that somebody's bothering him or her!

When I was a little girl, that kind of "protection" would have hurt me so much more than another silly-looking doll.

No comments:

Post a Comment