New research commissioned by the LEGO Group shows that girls today are becoming increasingly confident to take part in all kinds of play and creative activities, but as they get older they are still held back by society's ingrained gender stereotypes. Of course, LEGO has had the Friends line for some time.
Girl's Day
The research was conducted by the Geena Davis Institute in honor of the UN's International Day of the Girl and to mark the launch of a new LEGO campaign called Ready for Girls. The 'Ready for Girls' campaign aims to help girls rebuild the story and welcome more girls into building with LEGO, so they don't miss out on the benefits of LEGO play due to societal expectations. The company will ensure that every child, regardless of their gender identity, feels like they can build anything they want, playing in a way that helps them develop and realize their unique talent. Read more below.
Girls are ready to overcome gender norms, but society continues to impose prejudices that hinder their creative potential
New research from the LEGO Group and Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media shows that while girls are ready to break gender stereotypes, their creative potential is at risk of social bias restrictions
Based on the research, the LEGO Group is launching its 'Ready for Girls' campaign to celebrate girls rebuilding the narrative of outdated gender norms
The research, which surveyed almost 7,000 parents and children aged 6-14 in China, Czech Republic, Japan, Poland, Russia, UK and US, highlights the need for society to rethink perceptions, actions and words to build to support the creative empowerment of all children.
Ready for girls
The research results show that girls are ready for the world, but society is not yet fully ready to support their growth through play. Girls feel less restricted by and support less typical gender bias than boys when it comes to creative play (74% of boys versus 62% of girls believe that some activities are just for girls, while others are for boys) , and they are more open to different types of creative play compared to what their parents and society usually encourage. For example, 82% of girls think it's okay for girls to play football and boys to practice ballet, compared to only 71% of boys. However, despite progress made in eliminating prejudice among girls at a young age, overall attitudes towards play and creative careers remain uneven and restrictive, according to this study:
For most creative professions, parents who completed the survey picture themselves as male, regardless of whether they have a son, daughter or both. They think of scientists and athletes almost six times as often as men than women (85% vs. 15%) and more than eight times as often about engineers than men than women (89% vs. 11%). The children surveyed in this study share similar impressions, except that girls are much more likely than boys to view a wider range of professions as for both women and men.
Our insights further indicate that girls are typically encouraged to engage in activities that are more cognitive, artistic and performance-related compared to boys who are more inclined to physical and STEM-type activities (digital, science, building, tools). Parents in this survey are almost five times as likely to encourage girls than boys to participate in dance (81% vs. 19%) and dress-up activities (83% vs. 17%), and more than three times as likely to the same for cooking/baking (80% vs. 20%). On the downside, they are almost four times as likely to encourage boys over girls to participate in program games (80% vs. 20%) and sports (76% vs. 24%) and more than twice as likely to do the same when it comes to coding toys (71% vs. 29%)
Rebuilding the world
On International Day of the Girl, the LEGO Group is calling on parents and children to promote inclusive play. To help, they've developed a fun 10-step guide and invite parents to share photos of their child's LEGO creations against a pre-defined AR background with the words 'Get the World Ready for Me'.
In addition, the LEGO Group has created short films celebrating inspiring and enterprising girls from the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Japan, each of whom are already rebuilding the world through creativity.
Fatima & Shaikha (18 and 8, UAE) Fatima is the youngest inventor in the UAE. Her sister Shaikha loves space and wants to be the first woman on the moon.
The campaign will be further strengthened through local partnerships and activities in different locations.
“As a mother of three, I have long admired the LEGO Group and am encouraged by their global commitment to this research to inform how we can dramatically inspire creativity in girls through play and storytelling,” said Geena Davis, Founder from Geena Davies Institute for Gender in Media. “We also know that exposing girls to unique and non-stereotypical activities can lead to a broader view of possibilities and opportunities.”
Playing the role of LEGO
The LEGO Group believes in the value of learning through play and that the development of 21st century skills through LEGO play is equally relevant to all children.
Although many parents see the LEGO brand as a great example of an inclusive toy brand, playing with LEGO is still considered more relevant for boys than girls, with 59% of parents saying they encourage their sons to play with LEGO bricks building, compared to 48% who say they encourage it with their daughters. This view became clearer when parents were asked to complete an implicit bias assessment and 76% said they would encourage LEGO play, compared to 24% who would recommend it to a daughter.
“The benefits of creative play, such as building self-confidence, creativity and communication skills, are felt by all children and yet we still experience age-old stereotypes that label activities as only suitable for one specific gender. At the LEGO Group we know we have a role to play in putting this right, and this campaign is one of many initiatives we are launching to raise awareness of the issue and ensure we make LEGO as inclusive as possible. All children should be able to reach their true creative potential,” said Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group.
The 'Ready for Girls' campaign aims to help girls rebuild the story and welcome more girls into building with LEGO, so they don't miss out on the benefits of LEGO play due to societal expectations. The company will ensure that every child, regardless of their gender identity, feels like they can build anything they want, playing in a way that helps them develop and realize their unique talent.
Our dedication
It is crucial to ensure more inclusive play and stimulate debate on gender norms, not just for girls, but for every child. The LEGO Group knows that boys also struggle against prejudice when it comes to creative play and playing with toys traditionally seen as for the opposite sex. 71% of boys versus 42% of girls say they worry about being ridiculed if they play with toys typical of the opposite sex.
The company is committed to making LEGO play more inclusive and ensuring that children's creative ambitions - now and in the future - are not limited by gender stereotypes. We know there is work to be done, so from 2021 we will work closely with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and UNICEF to ensure LEGO products and marketing are accessible to all and free from gender bias and harmful stereotypes.