An exciting new offering from LEGO marks a step toward inclusivity for different kinds of families.
According to Fortune, the toy company recently unveiled a stay-at-home dad minifigure as part of a much-celebrated new set that also includes a young man in a wheelchair.
The the stay-at-home dad is part of the Lego City line, along with his baby in a stroller and working mom wife ("depicted in a work outfit," according to Fortune). The brand told the magazine that the minifigures "mirror the world we live in today."
For some, this welcome addition has been a long time coming. In March 2015, Elissa Strauss wrote an op-ed for The Week titled, "Boys need a stay-at-home dad LEGO figurine."
"By playing with these LEGO sets, boys would not only get used to seeing men playing a larger role in domestic life, but come to think of it as fun too," Strauss wrote.
With Pew reports indicating significant growth in the number of men who identify as stay-at-home dads, it's clear the need/urge for this inclusion will only grow.
"We need to stay in tune with the world around us," President of LEGO Systems Soren Torp Laursen told Fortune. "We aren’t responding to demand from anyone. We are trying to portray the world around us and listen to our consumer base."
While the brand has faced criticism in the past for promoting harmful gender stereotypes, LEGO has made strides in recent years with inclusive additions like female scientist minifigures.
Here's hoping this stay-at-home dad development is an indication of greater representation of diverse families to come.
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