Lego

/ˈlɛgoʊ/ noun

Definition

a brand of plastic construction toys consisting of interlocking bricks

Etymology

from Danish 'leg godt' meaning 'play well', coined by Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1934, though the modern interlocking brick system was developed in 1958

Kelly Says

LEGO bricks are manufactured to incredibly precise tolerances - only 18 out of every million pieces fail to meet quality standards! A LEGO brick from 1958 will still connect perfectly with one made today.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

LEGO historically marketed building/engineering as masculine despite having female builders from the start. Pink LEGO (Friends) emerged in 2012 as a response to declining girls' participation, paradoxically reinforcing pink-gendering of 'girls' products' while signaling that original colors were coded male.

Inclusive Usage

Use LEGO as a gender-neutral building system. Highlight that engineering, design, and construction transcend gender. Avoid gendered marketing subcategories in neutral contexts.

Inclusive Alternatives

["building blocks","construction toys","engineering systems"]

Empowerment Note

Women designers like Stephanie Wirtel and Stacey McCall revolutionized LEGO product design. Female LEGO engineers and architects prove the toy's inclusive potential.

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