Uncle Buck
Ghost Writer
- Jul 7, 2003
- 28,075
Somebody did not do their research before releasing this one;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/33079474/lego-apologises-for-window-licker-toy
Lego has apologised after unveiling a new model branded a "window-licker".
The toy, called Turg, was described on Lego's website as looking like "an experiment that's gone very, very wrong".
The description continued: "Part frog, part chicken, part back-of-the-bus window-licker, this Mixel has the longest tongue of them all."
Mental health charities have hit out at the company for using the "highly offensive" phrase.
Lorraine Bellamy, from the charity Mencap, says: "It is unacceptable that a toy company like Lego have used a term that offends people with a disability such as this, especially as the toy is aimed at children.
"I have a learning disability and I know that it makes me feel different.
"Hate crime and bullying are a daily reality for many disabled people and the use of language like this only makes it worse.
"I want Lego to apologise and to stop using this type of offensive language."
Daniel Mazliah, from the charity Scope, says: "It's pretty shocking that Lego has used this outdated and offensive word to market one of its toys.
"There is no doubt that many customers with disabled children will be appalled.
"Lego is a huge brand, loved by millions of young people who might think that this word is acceptable to use.
"We would ask Lego to remove this word from all marketing."
Lego has since changed the description. The company's vice president for the UK and Ireland, Fiona Wright, said in a statement: "Lego Mixels' aim is to inspire creativity using quirky fictional characters to help children express their imaginations.
"We have very high expectations of our products. This also includes the text we use to describe them towards consumers.
"We are sorry that wording which could be considered offensive has been used, as this has not been our intention at all.
"As an immediate result of the input we have received, the product description for the Mixels character Turg has been changed on our website Lego.com.
"We have looked at our processes to make sure this does not happen again."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/33079474/lego-apologises-for-window-licker-toy
Lego has apologised after unveiling a new model branded a "window-licker".
The toy, called Turg, was described on Lego's website as looking like "an experiment that's gone very, very wrong".
The description continued: "Part frog, part chicken, part back-of-the-bus window-licker, this Mixel has the longest tongue of them all."
Mental health charities have hit out at the company for using the "highly offensive" phrase.
Lorraine Bellamy, from the charity Mencap, says: "It is unacceptable that a toy company like Lego have used a term that offends people with a disability such as this, especially as the toy is aimed at children.
"I have a learning disability and I know that it makes me feel different.
"Hate crime and bullying are a daily reality for many disabled people and the use of language like this only makes it worse.
"I want Lego to apologise and to stop using this type of offensive language."
Daniel Mazliah, from the charity Scope, says: "It's pretty shocking that Lego has used this outdated and offensive word to market one of its toys.
"There is no doubt that many customers with disabled children will be appalled.
"Lego is a huge brand, loved by millions of young people who might think that this word is acceptable to use.
"We would ask Lego to remove this word from all marketing."
Lego has since changed the description. The company's vice president for the UK and Ireland, Fiona Wright, said in a statement: "Lego Mixels' aim is to inspire creativity using quirky fictional characters to help children express their imaginations.
"We have very high expectations of our products. This also includes the text we use to describe them towards consumers.
"We are sorry that wording which could be considered offensive has been used, as this has not been our intention at all.
"As an immediate result of the input we have received, the product description for the Mixels character Turg has been changed on our website Lego.com.
"We have looked at our processes to make sure this does not happen again."
