LEGO Friends: does new character have Down syndrome - did Fox News and Telegraph call move ‘woke’?

Fox News and the Telegraph have been criticised for calling the diverse new lineup of characters from LEGO “woke”. The new figurines from LEGO introduces “multiple skin tones, cultures, physical and non-visible disabilities, and neurodiversity”.

Regarding the new releases, a survey from LEGO showed that kids “see the value in diverse friendships with nine in 10 (93%) agreeing that it’s good to have a diverse friendship group who can teach you different things”.

“The relaunch answers a call for change that real kids desire to see in their toys and the content they watch. New characters feel, express, and acknowledge a range of emotions similar to those of today’s kids, helping them relate to and explore their mental well-being through play,” LEGO said.

What are the new characters?

The eight new characters revealed by LEGO will see Aliya, Autumn, Leo, Zac, Liann, Olly, Nova and Paisley join the existing lineup of LEGO Friends Andrea, Emma, Mia, Olivia and Stephanie in Heartlake City.

The company said that the new characters include the addition of “multiple skin tones, cultures, physical and non-visible disabilities, and neurodiversity”, and that “the new sets and series will feature characters with limb difference, Down syndrome, anxiety, vitiligo, and a dog with a wheelchair”.

Autumn is the first LEGO character to represent someone with a limb difference - her profile on the LEGO website states that she “was born without the lower part of her left arm – not that she lets this get in her way of exploring nature”.

Tracie Chiarella, Head of Product, said: “At the LEGO Group, we understand that children want the characters they encounter to be more like the diverse personalities they meet in real-life. We’re continuously evolving our products so that they’re reflective of society today and that’s why we’re proud to launch this brand-new generation of LEGO Friends.

“We want children to see the new LEGO Friends Universe, both in the physical product and the content we’re launching in 2023, as a reflection of their own friendships and to see the characters as authentic. We have chosen to evolve the LEGO Friends Universe and TV show to be more inclusive in order to give parents and kids more tools to navigate friendship and their emotions as they grow and learn.”

What did Fox News say about the new releases?

Seemingly upset by LEGO’s decision to introduce a diverse range of characters, Fox News host Harris Faulkner hit out at the company for “going woke”.

During The Faulkner Focus program on Wednesday, Faulkner said: “Say it ain’t so. LEGO is going woke. The company is unveiling a range of new characters in an effort to be more inclusive. LEGO says the new characters will promote diversity and understanding. Some will have anxiety issues. I don’t know how you show that.”

Fox News radio host Jimmy Failla, who was a guest on the show, added: “The reason they force identity into toys is because they think identity comes with a built in political orientation. And that’s what they’re after here. I’m not having it.”

The reaction to the segment from Fox News has been less than enthusiastic, with many taking to Twitter to share their thoughts.

One person wrote: “I watched this news segment. As someone who has a disability, it was infuriating watching them mock LEGO for doing this. Yes, FOX News, it is woke, and it should be! It’s called being compassionate and empathetic.”

Another tweeted: “If the people at Telegraph and Fox News had any journalistic integrity they’d know that LEGO has been a progressive company for years. Making figures that represent all kinds of people is nothing new and is one of the many reasons I love the company.”

“God forbid we normalise differences so that kids won’t think it’s strange and bully a kid for it,” wrote another.

What did Adam Hills say about the Telegraph article?

Adam Hills, Australian comedian and host of The Last Leg, called out the Telegraph and writer Nick Squires over the publication’s original take on the new characters from LEGO.

On Wednesday (22 Feb), the Telegraph published a story online about the new LEGO characters with a headline which said: “Lego goes ‘woke’ as new figures released with Down’s Syndrome and missing limbs”.

One portion of the article read: “Whilst attempts to make products for children more progressive and inclusive are applauded by parents, others see the trend as overly sensitive and “woke”.”

Posting images of the headline and section of the article, Hills tweeted: “Hey @NickSquires1 I’m wondering why you’ve tied Lego’s new disabled figures into the “anti-woke” movement. Who are these “others” that think the inclusivity is overly sensitive?”

The Telegraph later changed the headline to: “Lego releases new figures with Down’s syndrome and missing limbs”

Posting the two headers side by side on Twitter, Hills said: “Looks like @Telegraph fixed it. Thank you. But we saw what you did.”