The world’s biggest toymaker says it hopes the sunflower lanyard will help people “embrace diversity, value inclusivity and remove stigma”.
Lego has announced it is adding several characters who wear sunflower lanyards to its range of brick characters to raise awareness of a badge worn to indicate someone has a hidden disability such as autism.
The Guardian reported that the company is keen to make its brick world better reflect reality and in recent years has added characters of different skin tones and cultures, as well as physical and non-visible disabilities. Figures with limb differences, Down’s syndrome, anxiety and vitiligo have also been warmly received by children.
Lego has now partnered with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, which is the company behind the symbol taken up to provide a discreet way of sharing that you have a hidden disability voluntarily.
The Guardian said the sunflower lanyard and is recognised in more than 90 countries and the Lego initiative is aimed at different age groups, starting with Duplo for preschoolers through to a complex modular build – part of its Icons range – costing nearly £200 that is aimed at adults. They will go sale during 2025.
Lauren von Stackelberg, the Lego Group chief diversity and inclusion officer, told the media: “As one of the most loved toy brands, we know that our choices about which characters we make and what stories we tell about them have a big impact on how kids learn to perceive the world.
“We hope that modelling a world in which all kinds of people are celebrated will help us all embrace diversity, value inclusivity and remove stigma.”
Consumer research shared by the company reported that about eight in 10 parents said modern children cared more about diversity and inclusion than their generation did; while children told researchers they cared about “everyone being treated equally” (88%) and wanted “to play with toys that teach differences” (83%).
Paul White, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower chief executive, said opting to wear the lanyard was a simple way of sharing that you have a hidden disability and “letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time”.
He added: “In the UK one in five people have some form of disability and 80% are not visible. That’s over 12 million people. Only 17% are born with a disability, the other 83% acquire one at some stage during their lives … so disability affects us all.
