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Championing better work for men and better shopping for women

Victoria Dmochowski

I was delighted to be given a pack of Lego cards by a colleague who shopped at Sainsbury's this morning. We were both surprised to see these two cards in the pack and in an office where we really do champion better work and working lives, we've discussed the career of intergalactic girl compared to the astronaut.

Are we overreacting or is it reasonable to think that in the 21st century, women might have more to do in space than shop while men are out discovering planets? If the two cards hadn't been in the same packet, I probably wouldn't have noticed the difference in 'jobs' but now that I have, I can't unsee it.

Thoughts?

Parents
  • WOW!! I'm shocked that a brand like Lego has continued to perpetuate gender stereotypes in such an obvious way! It's also insulting to those incredibly talent women who are astronauts.

    Someone at Lego should be hanging their head in shame for okaying these cards whilst someone issues an apology to all those little girls out there who dream of going to space whilst Lego have just told them "Don't be silly! You just need to get the morning paper and pick up the groceries".

    I rarely get so frustrated by these things, but I work in an industry where there is not only a skills shortage but also a shortage of women in technical roles and these cards just go against some of the work being done to try and encourage girls into STEM subjects/industries/roles.

    In fact just yesterday myself and our (female) Workshop Manager were discussing the lack of female applicants we receive for our technical roles and were saying that the interest in engineering and science etc. needs to start when children are younger. Cards with these kinds of messages don't help.

    I hope the parents out there who buy these cards for their children explain to them that actually "Intergalactic Girl" is just as able to go exploring new planets as Astronaut and that Astronaut is more than capable of picking up his own morning paper and groceries...
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  • WOW!! I'm shocked that a brand like Lego has continued to perpetuate gender stereotypes in such an obvious way! It's also insulting to those incredibly talent women who are astronauts.

    Someone at Lego should be hanging their head in shame for okaying these cards whilst someone issues an apology to all those little girls out there who dream of going to space whilst Lego have just told them "Don't be silly! You just need to get the morning paper and pick up the groceries".

    I rarely get so frustrated by these things, but I work in an industry where there is not only a skills shortage but also a shortage of women in technical roles and these cards just go against some of the work being done to try and encourage girls into STEM subjects/industries/roles.

    In fact just yesterday myself and our (female) Workshop Manager were discussing the lack of female applicants we receive for our technical roles and were saying that the interest in engineering and science etc. needs to start when children are younger. Cards with these kinds of messages don't help.

    I hope the parents out there who buy these cards for their children explain to them that actually "Intergalactic Girl" is just as able to go exploring new planets as Astronaut and that Astronaut is more than capable of picking up his own morning paper and groceries...
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