The Danish toymaker Lego Group seemed to join ''woke'' culture when it announced Sunday that it would be working to ensure its play sets and marketing are accessible to all, and free of ''gender bias and harmful stereotypes.''
''The company is committed to making LEGO play more inclusive and ensuring that children's creative ambitions — both now in the future — are not limited by gender stereotypes,'' the company announced in a press release Sunday.
''We know there is work to do which is why 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 of gender bias and harmful stereotypes,'' the release continued.
The announcement coincided with the United Nations' observance of the International Day of the Girl Child on Monday.
Created in 2011 by a U.N. General Assembly resolution, the International Day of the Girl Child was set to be observed on Oct. 11 of each year and ''recognizes girls' rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world,'' according to the organization. The goal is to empower girls to fulfill their human rights.
In the release, Lego said that while its brand was an example of ''inclusive'' play, it is still considered more relevant to boys than to girls.
Research conducted by the company found that 59% of parents encouraged their sons to build with the block toys, compared with 48% of parents who encourage their daughters to use them.
The research was based on ''opt-in'' online surveys completed by 6,844 respondents in seven different countries: the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, Poland, Japan and the Czech Republic.
''The benefits of creative play such as building confidence, creativity and communication skills are felt by all children and yet we still experience age-old stereotypes that label activities as only being suitable for one specific gender,'' Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer of Lego Group, said in the release.
''At the LEGO Group we know we have a role to play in putting this right, and this campaign is one of several initiatives we are putting in place to raise awareness of the issue and ensure we make LEGO play as inclusive as possible. All children should be able to reach their true creative potential.''
The company said it ''is committed to making LEGO play more inclusive and ensuring that children's creative ambitions — both now in the future — are not limited by gender stereotypes.''
The Lego Group was established by Ole Kirk Kristiansen in Denmark in 1932. Its name is derived from the Danish words ''leg godt,'' meaning ''play well.''
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