Was anyone else infuriated when Lego introduced “Lego for girls”? I was. Original Lego is in bright primary colours, encourages kids to use their imaginations, teaches basic engineering skills, and is filled with characters that storm castles and conquer the galaxy and have an unlimited range of astonishing adventures.

“Girl” Lego is pastel pink and purple and features characters that shop, ride horses, and go to the beauty parlour. And there’s nothing wrong with any of those activities, with the exception of the subtext that these are the ONLY things girls are interested in.

*sets head on fire*

This awesome letter to Lego by 7-year-old Charlotte has been going around Facebook, and if you haven’t seen it, you should totally check it out, because you’ll need some happy before we talk about the next part.

The part where an 11-year-old boy attempted suicide because he couldn’t stand being bullied for liking My Little Pony.

I don’t even know where to start with this, other than to express my grief and shame for a culture that thinks there’s only one way to be a boy or a girl. Diversity is something to be celebrated, and it’s up to us to create a world where kids can feel safe and accepted, no matter what toys they love or where their imaginations take them.

Courtesy of epSos.de via Flickr Creative Commons