Sat. May 22, 2021
Matthew Ashton, design executive at LEGO, introduced the world to a special edition set called 'Everyone is Awesome.' It will be launched on June 1—the first day of Pride month. It retails for $34.99.
The completed display features a rainbow array that blends the Philadelphia Pride flag (which includes black and brown stripes for people of color) and the transgender Pride flag (with blue and pink stripes sandwiching a single white stripe).
Each stripe is paired with a LEGO person of different colors and different hairstyles—representing many kinds of people, including trans persons.
“I purposely put the purple drag queen in as a clear nod to the fabulous side of the [community].”
Ashton, who is openly gay, says that he wanted LEGO—an iconic world brand—to make a bold statement of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
“Representation is so important. I grew up in the 80s and was obviously a gay kid. There was a lot of negativity back then around being gay; it was right in the middle of the AIDS crisis when I was a young teen and that was incredibly daunting and scary,” he explained.
“Being quite an effeminate kid, I was constantly told by different adults around me what I should and shouldn't play with, that I needed to behave like a 'real boy' and to toughen up. I was dissuaded from doing the things that came most naturally to me. I think many of the adults around me were doing all of this to try to protect me from getting bullied, but I was actually fine with all the kids at school. All of that has had an impact on me in many ways; it was really exhausting and kicked my confidence,” he continued.
Ashton says of the LEGO set he designed, “If I had been given this set by somebody at that point in my life, it would have been such a relief to know that somebody had my back. To know that I had somebody there to say 'I love you, I believe in you. I'll always be here for you.'”
While Ashton says he meant to make a bold statement with the product, he said it is also “fun and quirky.”
LEGO is a European toy and collectible company founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen.
LEGO is an abbreviation for the Danish phrase, “Leg godt.” It means, “Play well.”
It is still owned by Kristiansen's grandson, Kjeld.
For the complete article (non-reader view with multimedia and original links),
Tap here.
Head to the local LGBTQ news, events, directory and people network at ChicagoPride.com