LEGO is taking a step toward greater minifig diversity in response to concerns voiced by diversity activists and regular civilians alike: They’re releasing a minifigure in a wheelchair this summer. In the video above, you can see a child minifigure in a wheelchair, from LEGO’s upcoming Fun in the Park set.
They chose to show a wheelchair-clad child in particular so to not reinforce the “wheelchairs are only for the elderly” stereotype. It will hopefully inject positive vibes into the lives of children who have disabilities or make them more relatable to children who do not.
It’s momentous, The message behind it is far bigger than a little one-inch-tall plastic guy. #toylikeme https://t.co/vLiZPtuB6F
— Toy Like Me (@toylikeme) January 28, 2016
The set is also one of the first to include a baby minifig, according to the LEGO fan site, Zusammengebaut. There’s a long way to go before we’ll have a set of really diverse representations in LEGO and other toys, but this is a step in the right direction. Now let the celebrations commence, in the form of games!
What other minifigures would you like to see represented in the world of LEGO? Sound off in the comments below.
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HT: NPR
IMAGES: YouTube/ Zusammengebaut/Twitter/ Toy Like Me