Did a 7-Year-Old's Letter Inspire Lego's New Female Scientist Set?
A 7-year-old girl may be the reason for Lego's latest female scientist set.
A few months ago, Charlotte Benjamin wrote a letter to the company. In it, she said, "I love Legos." But she felt that the ones targeted at girls were just supposed to "sit at home, go to the beach, and shop." The boys, on the other hand, had all the fun. They "saved people, had jobs, even swam with sharks!"
A week later, Lego said that it had been "focused on including more female characters and themes that invite even more girls to build."
Over the weekend, the new Lego set was unveiled, and it is based on a woman young girls can look up to: geophysicist Ellen Kooijman.
"Created by real-life geoscientist, Ellen Kooijman, and selected by Lego Ideas members, this collection of scenes depicts three varied professions within the world of natural science," the company said. "Help the paleontologist study the origin of dinosaurs with the magnifying glass, map the skies with the astronomer and her telescope, and assist the chemist as she carries out experiments in her lab. This set also includes building instructions, as well as a booklet containing information about the creator and an introduction to each of the professions featured in the set. There's a whole world of exciting professions out there to explore -- build and role play them to see if they suit you!"
The set goes for $20, though it is currently unavailable online.
In 2011, Lego began designing products specifically for girls, notes NPR. The company released the Lego Friends Series, but a Change.org petition asked Lego to stop differentiating between toys for girls and boys.
On its website, Lego has a specific section for girls' toys.
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