General Discussion

Skinner

(63,645 posts) Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:08 AM Mar 2015

Lego rejected this awesome set of female US Supreme Court justices

What if your daughter didn’t dream of owning the latest busty Barbie doll, but a tiny, tiny Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg donning her signature lace collar, or a smiling justice Sonia Sotomayor? Wouldn’t that be great?

Maia Weinstock, deputy editor of MIT News by day, Lego constructor extraordinaire by night, certainly thought so. She made a set featuring each of the four women who have served on the US Supreme Court in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8. Photos of the figures that she posted on her Flickr site quickly went viral.

More: http://qz.com/360730/lego-rejected-this-awesome-set-of-female-us-supreme-court-justices/

49 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Lego rejected this awesome set of female US Supreme Court justices (Original Post) Skinner Mar 2015 OP

shame on them marym625 Mar 2015 #1

I agree jberryhill Mar 2015 #9

Time for somebody to start a company called Legas. n/t FourScore Mar 2015 #40

“As a children’s toy brand, we refrain from any associations with active or current politics,” PoliticAverse Mar 2015 #2

Just because the Supremes "got political" in the Bush era, doesn't mean they're SUPPOSED to be so! MADem Mar 2015 #6

Plus she has the gavel Liberalynn Mar 2015 #17

Ha ha ha!!! nt MADem Mar 2015 #32

She has her, "I'm going to rig an election" look...nt joeybee12 Mar 2015 #26

OUCH!! Points!!!! nt MADem Mar 2015 #31

thread winner! marym625 Mar 2015 #46

I believe they mean "political" in the larger sense of the word jberryhill Mar 2015 #41

Sorry but doesn't fly marym625 Mar 2015 #21

Nope. Like the Supreme Court figurines those aren't available from Lego but were made by PoliticAverse Mar 2015 #22

They are at LegoLand marym625 Mar 2015 #28

I hope publicity to this will influence Lego to change their mind. KMOD Mar 2015 #3

Lego my ego! rock Mar 2015 #4

I always figured they were more progressive than that Lee-Lee Mar 2015 #5

Nice. Octafish Mar 2015 #7

Those are likenesses of specific individuals jberryhill Mar 2015 #8

Interject the voice of reason? BubbaFett Mar 2015 #10

I just copied the original headline. Skinner Mar 2015 #11

Yeah, there's a lot of cool Lego art jberryhill Mar 2015 #12

Why Not? marym625 Mar 2015 #23

Cause the guys have spoken and well you put the legos together. boston bean Mar 2015 #24

my best friend's dad worked there marym625 Mar 2015 #29

My response was in reference to making a set for sale. Skinner Mar 2015 #38

Thank you marym625 Mar 2015 #43

Has Lego ever made figures that depict actual people? cali Mar 2015 #13

Is Chewbacca a real person? BubbaFett Mar 2015 #14

Colonel Sanders Capt. Obvious Mar 2015 #15

I think you mean Samuel Clemens. nt awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #19

hahaha marym625 Mar 2015 #30

you may be right awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #34

from someone named Capt. obvious marym625 Mar 2015 #36

That's not Colonel Sanders, dumbass. Dr. Strange Mar 2015 #25

... awoke_in_2003 Mar 2015 #35

God? Capt. Obvious Mar 2015 #37

Quite a few, actually. F4lconF16 Mar 2015 #16

Ha! Abraham Lincoln! marym625 Mar 2015 #33

thanks! cali Mar 2015 #39

Some of those listed only appeared in the video games tammywammy Mar 2015 #42

Interesting, I didn't realize that. Thanks. nt F4lconF16 Mar 2015 #44

I'm a big fan of the Lego video games. n/t tammywammy Mar 2015 #45

But they produced an entire Prince of Persia line. Go figure. Orrex Mar 2015 #18

I Want This for my self. irisblue Mar 2015 #20

yeah, so much for their efforts to include women. mopinko Mar 2015 #27

Lol~ sheshe2 Mar 2015 #48

Those are adorable! I want a set. Hekate Mar 2015 #47

Lego of my justices!!!! sheshe2 Mar 2015 #49

marym625

(17,997 posts)

1. shame on them

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:13 AM

Mar 2015

Thanks for the post.

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

9. I agree

Reply to marym625 (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:43 AM

Mar 2015

If I were Lego, I would jump at the opportunity to make money off of the images and likenesses of these women.

Since they are/were government figures, their consent is not even required.

FourScore

(9,704 posts)

40. Time for somebody to start a company called Legas. n/t

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #9)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:14 PM

Mar 2015

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

2. “As a children’s toy brand, we refrain from any associations with active or current politics,”

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:16 AM

Mar 2015

A wise policy, but they might consider making more types of generic female lego-persons available
to cover more professions. They did quite well with the scientist ones apparently...
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-legos-first-female-scientist-kit-is-selling-out/

MADem

(135,425 posts)

6. Just because the Supremes "got political" in the Bush era, doesn't mean they're SUPPOSED to be so!

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #2)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:23 AM

Mar 2015

They're judicial, and they serve over a long arc of time.

I think the Sandra Day O'Connor one is hilarious--she's got that pissed off look on her face that she often had!!

Liberalynn

(7,549 posts)

17. Plus she has the gavel

Reply to MADem (Reply #6)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:12 PM

Mar 2015

If you don't come to order I shall whack you in the head!

MADem

(135,425 posts)

32. Ha ha ha!!! nt

Reply to Liberalynn (Reply #17)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:55 PM

Mar 2015

joeybee12

(56,177 posts)

26. She has her, "I'm going to rig an election" look...nt

Reply to MADem (Reply #6)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:45 PM

Mar 2015

MADem

(135,425 posts)

31. OUCH!! Points!!!! nt

Reply to joeybee12 (Reply #26)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:54 PM

Mar 2015

marym625

(17,997 posts)

46. thread winner!

Reply to joeybee12 (Reply #26)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:52 PM

Mar 2015

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

41. I believe they mean "political" in the larger sense of the word

Reply to MADem (Reply #6)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:22 PM

Mar 2015

marym625

(17,997 posts)

21. Sorry but doesn't fly

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #2)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:30 PM

Mar 2015

They have figurines for the US Presidents.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

22. Nope. Like the Supreme Court figurines those aren't available from Lego but were made by

Reply to marym625 (Reply #21)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:35 PM

Mar 2015

a private individual. See:

marym625

(17,997 posts)

28. They are at LegoLand

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #22)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:47 PM

Mar 2015

Which is partly owned by Lego. So put them in their park.

KMOD

(7,906 posts)

3. I hope publicity to this will influence Lego to change their mind.

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:20 AM

Mar 2015

I would love a set. That is so awesome.

rock

(13,218 posts)

4. Lego my ego!

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:21 AM

Mar 2015

Lee-Lee

(6,324 posts)

5. I always figured they were more progressive than that

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:23 AM

Mar 2015

Shame

Octafish

(55,745 posts)

7. Nice.

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:28 AM

Mar 2015

A decade or two back, LEGO allowed Zbigniew Libera to make a political point:

http://raster.art.pl/gallery/artists/libera/libera_lego.htm

Then they changed their policy.

PS: Thanks for the heads-up on Maia's Legal Justice League. Outstanding work. My only criticism lies in the visceral reaction to seeing the pride of Arizona dude ranches who helped foist Bush 43 upon us.

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

8. Those are likenesses of specific individuals

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:41 AM

Mar 2015

Who mean approximately nothing in Lego's international market, and whose consent to be represented as Lego figures is, I imagine, irrelevant to anyone posting in this thread.

Lego is not even a US company.

BubbaFett

(361 posts)

10. Interject the voice of reason?

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #8)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:44 AM

Mar 2015

STOP SAYING THAT!

Skinner

(63,645 posts)

11. I just copied the original headline.

Reply to jberryhill (Reply #8)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:44 AM

Mar 2015

Of course Lego wasn't going to make a set based on supreme court justices. But it's still very cool to look at.

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

12. Yeah, there's a lot of cool Lego art

Reply to Skinner (Reply #11)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:51 AM

Mar 2015

Their legal department is sort of used to getting slapped around by the marketing department in deciding whether third party artworks involving Lego are helping or hurting the brand.

marym625

(17,997 posts)

23. Why Not?

Reply to Skinner (Reply #11)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:37 PM

Mar 2015

They had Barack Obama's inauguration, with bush there, at Lego land. They have the US presidents. Why not SCOTUS figures?

boston bean

(36,222 posts)

24. Cause the guys have spoken and well you put the legos together.

Reply to marym625 (Reply #23)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:41 PM

Mar 2015

marym625

(17,997 posts)

29. my best friend's dad worked there

Reply to boston bean (Reply #24)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:53 PM

Mar 2015

When I was a kid. That was his job, to figure out different cool things to build with them. But they showed what could be built.

I thought they sold president figurines. I have been corrected. Still think it's a shame

Skinner

(63,645 posts)

38. My response was in reference to making a set for sale.

Reply to marym625 (Reply #23)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:09 PM

Mar 2015

As far as I know they have not made sets based on real people. Only fictional characters.

A SCOTUS display at legoland I could see them doing.

marym625

(17,997 posts)

43. Thank you

Reply to Skinner (Reply #38)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:31 PM

Mar 2015

Cool to see you posting!

cali

(114,904 posts)

13. Has Lego ever made figures that depict actual people?

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 10:57 AM

Mar 2015

BubbaFett

(361 posts)

14. Is Chewbacca a real person?

Reply to cali (Reply #13)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:11 AM

Mar 2015

Capt. Obvious

(9,002 posts)

15. Colonel Sanders

Reply to cali (Reply #13)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:12 AM

Mar 2015

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

19. I think you mean Samuel Clemens. nt

Reply to Capt. Obvious (Reply #15)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:23 PM

Mar 2015

marym625

(17,997 posts)

30. hahaha

Reply to awoke_in_2003 (Reply #19)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:54 PM

Mar 2015

I think it was a joke. I hope

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

34. you may be right

Reply to marym625 (Reply #30)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:56 PM

Mar 2015

I thought of that after I posted

marym625

(17,997 posts)

36. from someone named Capt. obvious

Reply to awoke_in_2003 (Reply #34)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:57 PM

Mar 2015

Last edited Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:33 PM - Edit history (2)

Yeah, going with joke

I meant no offense btw. Was hoping it was a joke as well.

Dr. Strange

(25,921 posts)

25. That's not Colonel Sanders, dumbass.

Reply to Capt. Obvious (Reply #15)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:43 PM

Mar 2015

That's Shania Twain's dad.

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

35. ...

Reply to Dr. Strange (Reply #25)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:56 PM

Mar 2015

Capt. Obvious

(9,002 posts)

37. God?

Reply to Dr. Strange (Reply #25)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:05 PM

Mar 2015

F4lconF16

(3,747 posts)

16. Quite a few, actually.

Reply to cali (Reply #13)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 11:32 AM

Mar 2015

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Minifigures_that_are_based_on_real_people

marym625

(17,997 posts)

33. Ha! Abraham Lincoln!

Reply to F4lconF16 (Reply #16)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:56 PM

Mar 2015

President precedent.

cali

(114,904 posts)

39. thanks!

Reply to F4lconF16 (Reply #16)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:10 PM

Mar 2015

tammywammy

(26,582 posts)

42. Some of those listed only appeared in the video games

Reply to F4lconF16 (Reply #16)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:24 PM

Mar 2015

Like Adam West, Conan, Stan Lee, and Kevin Smith.

F4lconF16

(3,747 posts)

44. Interesting, I didn't realize that. Thanks. nt

Reply to tammywammy (Reply #42)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:34 PM

Mar 2015

tammywammy

(26,582 posts)

45. I'm a big fan of the Lego video games. n/t

Reply to F4lconF16 (Reply #44)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 01:35 PM

Mar 2015

Orrex

(63,216 posts)

18. But they produced an entire Prince of Persia line. Go figure.

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:19 PM

Mar 2015

Well, go minifigure...

irisblue

(32,991 posts)

20. I Want This for my self.

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:27 PM

Mar 2015

Lego, quit fooling around and make this

mopinko

(70,140 posts)

27. yeah, so much for their efforts to include women.

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 12:45 PM

Mar 2015

they could go ahead and make the full court, and i could throw the wingnuts in the fire.

a groundswell of public opinion would be awesome.
all my kids are too big for legos, but maybe i should buy the "girlie" ones, and just add them to my toy collection.

sheshe2

(83,799 posts)

48. Lol~

Reply to mopinko (Reply #27)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 06:24 PM

Mar 2015

they could go ahead and make the full court, and i could throw the wingnuts in the fire.

Then they would melt....

As the winter season approaches, I wanted to try my hand at ice sculpture. Out of LEGO. So I created this Melting Man sculpture completely out of transparent LEGO bricks. I also lit it from within, to give it a glowy-feel.

http://brickartist.com/gallery/melting-man-debuts-in-times-square/?tag=lego-art

As for that glow-feel. That would be from hell's fire inside their souls.

Hekate

(90,724 posts)

47. Those are adorable! I want a set.

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 05:31 PM

Mar 2015

Phooey on Legos.

sheshe2

(83,799 posts)

49. Lego of my justices!!!!

Reply to Skinner (Original post)

Thu Mar 12, 2015, 06:35 PM

Mar 2015

We want gay rights, women's rights, voting rights. We want the right to vote for our candidates, not have a rich man purchase a shoddily, made in China version and plunk them down in office. They will only break apart within days. Take Tom Cotton for example. Lol~ please take Tom Cotton.

Thanks for the thread skinner~

Reply to this discussion