LEGO Boycott Threatened Over ‘Sexist’ LEGO Friends Advice Column

LEGO boycott threats abound online after angst over the March/April LEGO Club Magazine went viral online. A group of parents are outraged about an article in the Emma’s Beauty Tips which they feel offered “insulting” beauty tips to little girls.

The LEGO magazine story, titled, “Emma’s Beauty Tips” said that the reader (a young girl) was ready to “change up” her “looks,” so she should consider a new hairstyle that would be more flattering for her particular face shape. The LEGO Club Magazine article which sparked both ire and a chastising column in the New York Times, was written in classic advice column style. Such a column in the LEGO magazine was reportedly in response to reader requests.

Here’s an excerpt from the LEGO Club Magazine “Emma’s Beauty Tips” article.

“You, yes you, are beautiful, but if you’re ready to change up your look, read on for some tips and tricks on how to get the best haircut for the shape of your face.”

The LEGO article also offers standard hair care tips most girls learn from their mothers during the tween years. Each one of the face shapes is heralded as attractive and multiple options for flattering new styles is given for each face shape. The LEGO boycott movement is recent, but despair over the LEGO Friends line marketing specifically for girls has been drawing backlash since the first set of pastel blocks rolled of the assembly line.

Some parents feel that the LEGO Friends lines it too “girly,” yet others see nothing wrong with being girly and encourage a building toy that could attract more interest from girls. The LEGO Friends line is geared to girls aged five to 12, according to details on the box.

Sharon Holbrook had this to say in an article about LEGO that she wrote for the New York Times.

“[My daughter] is seven. My little girl, the shape of her face, and whether her haircut is flattering are none of Lego’s concern. It wasn’t even her concern until a toy magazine told her to start worrying about it. The ultra-girly Lego Friends line caused a flap from the beginning, and I wasn’t at all sure whether I liked it. Why can’t girls and boys both play with traditional Legos? When I was little, Lego used to even market them to all children, magnificently so.”

Holbrook also feels that girls age five to 12 are “far too young” to be worrying about how to “soften the edges” of their faces. Some foes of LEGO Friends have claimed for several years that the sets with female mini figures and pastel colors are “sexist.” Primary color LEGOs still exist and the offerings in the toy aisle include a plethora of LEGO sets which could appeal to mostly boys, to mostly girls, as well as unisex box sets — all children and parents are can choose which sets to purchase.

Do you think LEGO Friends are sexist?

[Image via: Simone Mescolini/Shutterstock.com]