''Everyone is Awesome'' is a

Lego set Lego (, ; ; stylised as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Lego consists of variously coloured interlocking plastic bricks made of acrylonitrile b ...

released in 2021. The Lego product is the first designed to represent the LGBTQIA+ community. It was designed by Matthew Ashton and is themed to represent a

pride flag A pride flag is any flag that represents a segment or part of the LGBTQ community. ''Pride'' in this case refers to the notion of LGBTQ pride. The terms ''LGBTQ flag'' and ''queer flag'' are often used interchangeably. Pride flags can represen ...

and

transgender pride flag The transgender flag, also called the transgender pride flag, is used by people, organizations and communities to represent pride, diversity, rights and/or remembrance within the transgender community. Its usage is similar to the original ra ...

, and black and brown colors to represent LGBT

people of color The term "person of color" (: people of color or persons of color; abbreviated POC) is used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is associated with, the United States. From th ...

Attributes

The set has 346 pieces. It comes with 11

minifigure A Lego minifigure, often simply referred to as a Lego figure or a minifig, is a small plastic articulated figurine made of special Lego bricks produced by Danish building toy manufacturer The Lego Group. They were first produced in 1978 and ha ...

s in colors representing pride flags. Six represent colors of the rainbow pride flag ( Gilbert Baker's 1978 "classic" flag with red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, and purple), while three (in pale blue, white, and pink) represent the transgender pride flag, and two (in black and brown) represent the diversity of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds within the queer community. The black and brown stripes mirror Philadelphia's pride flag introduced in 2017. Each figure has a different hairstyle, also representing the LGBT and Lego community's diversity. None of the eleven figures have specified genders, except for the purple minifigure, meant to represent a

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses Drag (entertainment), drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate Femininity, female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have ...

, with a "highly stylized beehive wig". The Lego set measures about ; it is designed with a base and back wall, to fit on a shelf or windowsill. The set name is inspired by "

Everything Is Awesome "Everything Is Awesome" (stylized as "Everything Is AWESOME!!!") is a song by Canadian indie pop duo Tegan and Sara featuring American comedy trio the Lonely Island. The theme song to the 2014 Warner Bros. Pictures film ''The Lego Movie'', it ...

", a song from ''

The Lego Movie ''The Lego Movie'' is a 2014 animated adventure comedy film written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Based on the Lego line of construction toys, the film stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will ...

'', a feature film released in 2014. The set designer, Matthew Ashton, was an executive producer for the film.

History

The Lego Company has a short history of representing the LGBT community in sets. A build of

Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...

, released in 2019, includes a tiny rainbow flag, while sets of bride and groom figurines in the BrickHeadz line were sold separately, allowing fans to purchase two brides or two grooms if they choose to. The "Everyone is Awesome" set is the first set dedicated to the LGBT community in the Lego Company's 89-year history. It comes at a time as the toy industry is releasing products aimed towards more inclusivity. The set was designed by vice president of design Matthew Ashton, initially for his own desk. Ashton, a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, designed it to make his new office space reflect him. Visitors to Lego's offices noticed it enough that he was prompted to make it an official set. Ashton noted that he grew up as a gay teen in the 1980s, in a daunting time when homophobia was widespread at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and that he was constantly told which toys to play with. He expressed that having a set like this in one's childhood would be a significant relief and sign of support and love. The set was released June 1, 2021, in time for

LGBT Pride Month Pride Month, sometimes specified as LGBTQ Pride Month, is a month-long observance dedicated to the celebration of LGBTQ pride, commemorating the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) culture and community. Pri ...

for many. In releasing the set, the Lego Company highlighted its employee diversity and efforts towards inclusion, as well as partnerships with LGBT organizations including Stonewall.

References

{{Lego Lego products LGBTQ and society Products introduced in 2021

Attributes

History

See also

References