Lego is selling a 'Women of NASA' set featuring 4 female scientists, engineers, and astronauts
Source: Business Insider
Lego is selling a 'Women of NASA' set featuring 4 female scientists, engineers, and astronauts
Dave Mosher
4h
Lego announced on Wednesday that it would release a "Women of NASA" set.
The $25 kit goes on sale November 1 just in time for the holiday gift-giving season and builds on a laudable trend of selling toys that are more inclusive of women.
"Women of NASA" features four mini figurines of pioneering women from the space agency: the astronauts Sally Ride and Mae Jemison, the astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, and the computer scientist Margaret Hamilton.
Each figurine will also come with a backdrop related to their work at NASA, including the space shuttle Challenger and the Hubble Space Telescope.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/lego-women-nasa-scientists-astronauts-kit-2017-10
I didn't use Gizmodo as the source, despite its great illustrations, as the title is unnecessarily melodramatic. It suggests that some sort of conspiracy is at work. It's just a matter of licensing the appearance of a living person.
Also, you'll have to cut and past the addresses of the pictures.
Lego Forced to Exclude Hidden Figures Heroine From Cool Women of NASA Set
https://gizmodo.com/lego-forced-to-exclude-hidden-figures-heroine-from-cool-1819629642
Andrew Liszewski
Today 7:00am
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--PcvUVVRQ--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/ytoeumbeb2n3sp84in8a.jpg
Back in February, Lego revealed it would be turning Maia Weinstocks Women of NASA Lego Ideas submission into an official set, and this morning we have our first look at the production versions of the tiny dioramas and minifigures that will be available starting on November 1 for $25. You may notice one rather major heroine is missing.
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--fwI6rsSY--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/ub7y10fjphjk7ocprsyd.jpg
Nancy G. Roman, Margaret Hamilton, Sally Ride, and Mae Jemison.
The notable women in the set include Margaret Hamilton, a computer scientist who developed the flight software that powered the Apollo moon missions, Sally Ride, the first American woman in space who rode the space shuttle in 1983, Nancy G. Roman, an astronomer whose planning helped make the Hubble Space Telescope a reality, and Mae Jemison, who in 1992 became the first African-American woman in space.
Maia Weinstocks original Lego Ideas submission also included Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who calculated trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo programs, and who was recently featured in the film, Hidden Figures. But Johnson unfortunately isnt included in Legos final version of this set. A company representative told Gizmodo, In order for us to move forward with a partner we need to obtain approval from all key people, which was not possible in this case. We naturally fully respect this decision.
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A new LEGO set honors the women of NASAand it looks pretty awesome
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/10/a-new-lego-set-honors-the-women-of-nasa-and-it-looks-pretty-awesome/
"The set clearly touched and inspired many."
ERIC BERGER - 10/18/2017, 9:17 AM
= new reply since forum marked as read
It's very calculated, as a gesture to the Moms and Grandmothers who want to encourage their daughters/granddaughters.
But you know what? Exactly no one will buy this toy for their sons.
And it's mostly boys who get the Lego sets, not girls.
Thanks Lego, but this is too little, too late.
I think that that is the exactly wrong take on this.
Just my opinion.
However, one doesn't have to take my word for it, just ask Katherine Johnson, or John Glenn, or the Apollo 13 astronauts.
Katherine Johnson.
I think sexism is disgusting.
If Lego wants to promote gender equality, they should have scientists, astronauts and engineers that are both genders equally mixed. And only one set that can be purchased for both boys and girls. Otherwise the parents of boys will buy the all-boy sets, while the parents of girls will buy the all-girl sets.
By keeping the genders separate, don't you think this will totally defeat the intention? I do!
Also the groups of characters need to be racially mixed as well. Otherwise white people will buy the all-white sets.
Response to FakeNoose (Reply #10)
I'm glad you're not on the forefront of the women's movement! 
This is how things change.
I love that they included a gray-haired woman, says this senior. 
