Feminist Frequency needs a fact check?

[Ragsnstitches]

Just because no one bothered to post the videos and given the tendency for people to just run off of an OPs rant, I figure why not actually put some actual content into this *cough* discussion *cough*.

Beyond this, I'm staying out... this is going to hit the fan real quick.

EDIT:

I'm just going to add that I worked in a toy shop for a few months and we were specifically trained to promote the Pink Lego boxes for girls and dissuade selling them Blue Boxes, since the Blue lego boxes were selling so fast we couldn't keep stock. Also, fuck all bought the Pink boxes.

Basically, we didn't want girls to have blue boxes because the boys only went for blue boxes. Despite the fact that plenty of girls actually wanted blue boxes.

Yup. Nothing wrong here.

EDIT EDIT: I noted on a couple of occassions where a parent would come in and buy a lego box it would be the pink one if it was for a girl (casual chat brings up certain details, I wasn't just guessing). But if a woman came in with their daughter, the daughter would just as often go for the blue one as they would the pink one.

 

[Eamar]

A point for people complaining about how you're sick of hearing feminists complain about relatively minor issues, and to extend Kahunaburger's perfectly valid point:

Guise, problem A exists so we have to ignore problem B until we've fixed problem A. There's absolutely no possible way we could identify and propose solutions to both problems. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dichotomy]

Has no-one, no-one at all, ever stopped to think that, this being a video game forum people might maybe, just maybe, be more inclined to talk about things related to video games or nerd culture in general here? While also caring, almost certainly more so, about the bigger issues?

I'm a feminist and when I talk about feminism here it tends to be in relation to video games/general geekery. When I discuss, or even think about, feminism in my day to day life, I do not tend to focus on these things. I'm pretty sure the same could be said for others.

Similarly (and again I'm sorry for using myself as an example), if you knew me in "real life" you'd most likely consider LGBT equality to be my main "thing." On forums like this I'll discuss LGBT issues with regards to gaming, but actually the majority of my efforts are spent trying to raise money and awareness for more "serious" causes (like LGBT people getting murdered or thrown in prison for their orientation/gender identity).

Anyone think this might be worth bearing in mind?

 

[Smeatza]

All lego body parts are completely interchangeable.
If you don't have enough female lego characters you simply haven't bought enough female heads.

 

[geK0]

The thing that irked me is that she complains that there are so many Lego sets marketed toward boys and the few that are marketed toward girls are "sexist" because they play on female stereotypes....maybe, just maybe, Lego got a focus group of little girls and made exactly what they said they wanted.
And the ones included in "marketing only to boys"?
-lego city
-harry potter
-pirates of the caribbean
-medieval fantasy
-aliens

I mean, there are girls that like those things right? Isn't it a little more sexist to conclude that those things are "for boys only" than it is to conclude that pastel colours for girls is sexist?
How much more gender neutral can you get than LEGO CITY?!?!

I have to give her some credit for some of her videos, the "straw feminist" one brought up a good point; but for the most part, she seems to nitpick at a lot of non-issues.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

...I think OP has a point eh?

I mean they are LEGOS. Even if there is something sexist about them, I'd have to imagine one would really have to reach for it.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

All lego body parts are completely interchangeable.
If you don't have enough female lego characters you simply haven't bought enough female heads.

Spoiler: Lego Belville minifigs

Spoiler: Lego Friends minifigs

2 series specifically targeted at girls. Not the only ones either.

 

[Fappy]

I am so confused... since when did Lego have any social or political relevance? Why is this even an issue?

 

[Zydrate]

I thought her videos were, for the most part, pretty fair. She occasionally points out when something does well (And thus, gives credit when it's due), and usually offers a couple different solutions to things.

I found her Lego videos the best she had because it was pretty even. Her research showed that they USED to be gender-neutral, and just wished they'd go back to that.

Overall, Feminism has a bit of a publicity issue. We... are working on that :/

 

[Smeatza]

All lego body parts are completely interchangeable.
If you don't have enough female lego characters you simply haven't bought enough female heads.

Spoiler: Lego Belville minifigs

Spoiler: Lego Friends minifigs

2 series specifically targeted at girls. Not the only ones either.

I'm not of the belief that targeting a product to a specific audience is sexism in itself.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

Guise, problem A exists so we have to ignore problem B until we've fixed problem A. There's absolutely no possible way we could identify and propose solutions to both problems. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dichotomy]

Oh no, a smart arse reply. Whatever shall I do.

I know, i'll point out again that her rant was over LEGO .... LEGO.

Not anything remotely connected to a specific gender argument. It's fucking LEGO.

Is there anything less sexist that coloured building bricks?

My point, that seemed to have wooshed slowly over your head, is that this is a feminist debating LEGO and not anything that furthers gender equality.

The point of Feminist Frequency's 'Tropes vs. Women', isn't meant to further gender equality in a straightforward sense. It's meant to make people more aware of gender stereotypes against women that are, usually, reinforced in movies, TV shows, video games and the like.

However, that kind of awareness can go a long way depending on the person, and depending on what made you aware of the problem in the first place.

More than anything, the videos are meant to make you think. Which they certainly made me do. Besides, there's many different problems when it comes to sexism and gender inequality, besides employment problems, which I have no doubt are myriad.

Some people do what they can in any way they can to help solve a problem. The woman behind the videos? This might just be her way to contribute. Don't begrudge someone that.

 

[Nimzabaat]

Just because no one bothered to post the videos and given the tendency for people to just run off of an OPs rant, I figure why not actually put some actual content into this *cough* discussion *cough*.

Beyond this, I'm staying out... this is going to hit the fan real quick.

EDIT:

I'm just going to add that I worked in a toy shop for a few months and we were specifically trained to promote the Pink Lego boxes for girls and dissuade selling them Blue Boxes, since the Blue lego boxes were selling so fast we couldn't keep stock. Also, fuck all bought the Pink boxes.

Basically, we didn't want girls to have blue boxes because the boys only went for blue boxes. Despite the fact that plenty of girls actually wanted blue boxes.

Yup. Nothing wrong here.

Thanks for posting the videos. Has anyone else noticed that there is a female Lego character holding up the "no girls" sign? Well I mean, it's Lego, it could be a girl with a shaved head and no makeup. It's all in how your own personal bias works

Captcha: flat foot, was I detecting something?

 

[Ragsnstitches]

All lego body parts are completely interchangeable.
If you don't have enough female lego characters you simply haven't bought enough female heads.

Spoiler: Lego Belville minifigs

Spoiler: Lego Friends minifigs

2 series specifically targeted at girls. Not the only ones either.

I'm not of the belief that targeting a product to a specific audience is sexism in itself.

Did you watch the videos? The disparity in current marketing, compared to the original marketing of Lego products, is pretty striking and far from accidental incidental.

 

[Zydrate]

I'd like to add that I have a lego table right behind me, in my room. I have a base under siege, and it's fun.
I actually write stories based on my world in lego... And the problem comes from the fact that all of my stories are pretty much dark and gritty. Why? Because I barely have a choice! Those are the only serious sets I can get my hands on!

I'd love a normally-colored Cafe so that my heroes can take a damn break for once.

 

[Daverson]

But, if you don't like that the cop is a dude, you can just swap out some of his parts to make it a girl? Personally, I think we should be more concerned what Lego teaches kids about surgery, rather than what it teaches them about gender roles!

 

[MrMan999]

How could Lego's be sexist? Last I checked Lego people had no sex to speak of aside from the hair pieces.

 

[Zydrate]

How could Lego's be sexist? Last I checked Lego people had no sex to speak of aside from the hair pieces.

...Watch the videos, please. Then you'll be informed enough to post.