ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates how gendered identities are constructed in a promotional series of collectable cards, co-created by Sainsbury’s (a UK Supermarket) and LEGO (an international toy manufacturer). It focuses on the representation of LEGO minifigures (small human-like toy figurines), presenting a systematic analysis of the way these figures are named, visually depicted, and linguistically described on the cards. The findings reveal, first, that female is the marked form for a LEGO minifigure; female minifigures are represented half as often as male minifigures, and indices of gender are more compulsory for female characters. Second, the analysis shows that male and female minifigures are differentiated in distinct and restrictive ways, with women generally represented in terms of who and what they are (i.e. youthful and slim, with accentuated facial features) but men by what they do (i.e. being adventurous, taking risks, and having an occupation, especially one that relates to manual labour). These findings highlight some of the ways in which restrictive norms and sexist ideologies can be perpetuated through products targeting young children. They also demonstrate the importance of in-depth analysis and critique of such products, as a resource for resisting and challenging harmful and limiting gendered norms.
