Representation of people with disabilities in LEGO

History of disability recognition

More than 1 billion people worldwide have a disability or long-term condition that affects their daily lives, but legal protections for these people are relatively new. In the U.S., the disability rights movement began in the 1960s to reduce the stigma of not being “disabled.” The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. In the late 1970s, protests began in San Francisco, leading to rallies across the country.

The most famous event was the Capitol Crawl on March 13, 1990; over 1,000 people with various disabilities marched from the White House to the Capitol to demand the passage of the ADA. This event highlighted the inaccessible architecture that disabled voters faced every day. The ADA was signed a few months later, modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and consists of five sections (or titles).

The Beginning of Disability Representation in LEGO

Although LEGO has been around for 90 years, it has taken a long time for them to accurately depict disabilities in LEGO form. The first example of a wheelchair was a brick-built version in the 1975 LEGO 363 Hospital set, but with the limitations of the bricks available, it is not a very realistic representation. DUPLO introduced a die-cast wheelchair in 2011, but it would be another five years before a die-cast minifigure chair was made.

In 2015, Rebecca Atkinson of ToyLikeMe started a petition that garnered over 20,000 signatures, calling for the inclusion of minifigures with disabilities in the LEGO repertoire. Her work paid off, and the LEGO 60134 Fun in the Park set introduced the first minifigure-scale wheelchair in 2016.

Continuous representation

Since the first cast element, the accuracy and coverage of handicaps has been significantly improved in a number of LEGO theme lines (City, Friends, Ideas and CMF).

Community for the hearing impaired

The LEGO 60271 City Main Square set introduced the first minifigure with a hearing aid. However, this set had a high price point, which made it harder to access. It was also disappointing to see how little this new piece was emphasized in the box art and highlight photos.

Since then, the hearing aid design has been incorporated into other sets and for different genders, although most can still be found in sets that are unfortunately relatively expensive.

Community for people with visual impairments

LEGO 60292 Town Center set introduced a blind figure with a guide dog. While the dog and harness were new molds, the minifigure is generic and is just a face with sunglasses. LEGO does not make a realistic white cane element that is often used by visually impaired people.

The LEGO Group has also been working on implementing Braille Bricks and instructions for blind and partially sighted people. This work has started with instructions that can be translated by a "Braille reader", but will continue with bricks with Braille on them.

LEGO has just announced the general availability of Braille Bricks in English and French, with other languages ​​coming soon . The bricks have been limited to community centers and school programs (provided for free by LEGO), but are now available for everyone to explore. The sets are available for pre-order now from LEGO, and shipping begins September 1, 2023. (If you want to learn more about Braille Bricks, check out this BrickNerd article about them.)

Endocrine dysfunction community

Once again, the Friends line leads the way in representation, and this time with endocrine disorders! The LEGO 41744 Sports Center set introduces a figure with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and accompanying phone app! This is a huge step forward with an estimated 2.4 million individuals using CGMs.

I would like to see more standard insulin pumps, although this may be more of a challenge since they are usually found under clothing.

Amputation/Limb Difference Community

While this is an area of ​​disability that has technically been represented with the pirate peg-leg for decades, the LEGO 60347 Grocery Store set released in 2022 featured the first running blade prosthetic. While a running blade is not technically used in everyday activities due to its fit and mechanics, seeing the minifigure in the set was a huge step forward in seeing a more accurate prosthetic representation.

Earlier in the Friends theme, lifestyle photos for the LEGO 41682 Heartlake City School set featured a child with a limb difference. More recently, new Friends character Autumn debuted with the January 2023 wave as the first minidoll/figure to feature a molded limb difference (instead of just removing the figure’s hand). Her availability has been significantly improved compared to other figures, as she will be available in sets across a variety of price points.

This representation was particularly meaningful because I have a friend in the community who has a daughter with an arm-limb deformity. For her personally, this representation changes the conversation from "What happened to your arm?" to "You look like Autumn!" which is a game changer for her and her child!

Skin condition Community

The first minifigure to feature Vitiligo was in the 21337 Foosball Table from the LEGO Ideas line. When we spoke to the designers about this decision at Fan Media Days 2022, the prominent choice behind the multiple skin tones in the set was to show diversity and inclusivity. However, the $249.99 USD price tag was incredibly high for such a unique figure. The set has since gone on sale and is currently priced at $174.99 at the time of this article (which is still expensive, but a much better price for the 22 minifigures included).

The new DreamZzz line also has a character with vitiligo. Mateo has a lighter patch around his right eye that turns green when he is in the Dream World. While this was a bit harder to spot with the yellow minifig, I consider it a win for representation (since not everyone with skin conditions like vitiligo has extensive pigmentation differences).

LEGO figures with a tool

As mentioned, the first diecast minifigure wheelchair was introduced in 2016. That design has continued with some minor adjustments. However, it is not the most accurate design, as the minifigure cannot actually interact with the wheels based on the angle.

CMF Series 22 introduced the Wheelchair Racer, which was a significant design improvement to the chair. This wheelchair design has a lower backrest with no push handles. The camber (or the angle of the wheels relative to the seat) is standard on many wheelchairs used by disabled people, as it improves shoulder mechanics for pushing. This camber allows the minifigure’s hands to actually grip the wheel! I would like to see this design adapted into a more standard wheelchair in the future.

The Friends line also has several characters that use wheelchairs for mobility. However, with the limitations of the mini-doll legs (they can't bend), I don't think we'll be seeing a more realistic chair design from the Friends line anytime soon, unfortunately.

Several sets have wheelchair accessibility built in. The first to openly show wheelchair accessibility was LEGO 10273 Haunted House , which has a ramp at the entrance to allow wheelchair users to enter the attraction.

Since then, many City and Friends sets have incorporated wheelchair ramps and users into their sets, ranging from apartments to skate parks. The new City set LEGO 60365 Apartment Building also highlights a new electric scooter, and the scooter can even enter the building!

Room for improvement

LEGO has made a lot of progress with representation in recent years. However, there are still some areas for growth. Here are a few things I would like to see in future LEGO sets.

Mobility aids

It’s a huge bummer that mobility aids aren’t represented well! Crutches are an accessory for minifigures, but there are no walkers, powered mobility options, or realistic canes for figures to use. With an estimated 6.8 million Americans using mobility aids, this is a big area to look at. While sets have improved in this area in recent years, I’d like to see more options.

Price points

Unfortunately, many of the specialized minifigures are locked behind expensive sets. While sites like BrickLink are an option for some, it is not feasible for everyone. It would be much better to start putting these figures into different sets and polybags to make them more accessible. The Friends line has done this very well, but it should be more common in other themes as well.

Campaigns

LEGO has shown that they are pros at campaigning for things they work on. But this is an area I haven’t seen much of, but I should! It would be great to see people (both young and old) get the spotlight to talk about their disabilities and how seeing themselves in LEGO form has affected them.

Paving the way

In the ever-changing landscape of inclusivity and diversity, the steps The LEGO Group is taking to improve disability representation are commendable, but also long-term and, more importantly, crucial. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I have witnessed first-hand the impact of disability representation and creating a more inclusive world of play. Seeing yourself reflected in the toys a child (or adult) plays with is an activity that resonates deeply. So while we celebrate the progress that’s been made, let’s continue to support and encourage the evolution of disability representation within the vibrant world of LEGO. Together, we can pave a more accessible path, so that everyone can find a piece of themselves in the stories they build.