The LEGO Group has released new research showing that New Zealand parents give girls less recognition for their creative work than boys. This pressure of perfection holds girls back from reaching their full creative potential.
Nearly 74 percent of parents believe girls are more likely to be pressured to be perfect than boys, and 77 percent of girls aged 5 to 12 feel confident in their creativity.
However, this declines as girls age, with 76 percent worrying about others judging their creative ideas.
Society is around 13 times more likely to attribute terms like “sweet”, “pretty”, “cute”, and “beautiful” exclusively to girls, while terms such as “brave”, “cool”, and “genius” are around three times more likely to be attributed exclusively to boys.
Locally, LEGO New Zealand is teaming up with its partners Alexia Hilbertidou, founder and CEO of GirlBoss New Zealand and Dr Michelle Dickinson, founder and CTO of Nanogirl Labs Ltd., to launch a mentorship program that aims to empower girls.
“As a Gen Z founder, I started my entrepreneurial journey at 16. I learnt perfection wasn’t the answer; it’s about taking risks and backing yourself,” said Hilbertidou.
“With LEGO’s support, I’m driven to empower other Gen Alpha and Gen Z girls to realise their strengths and embrace their limitless potential.”
Dr Dickinson also expressed her gratitude for being involved and highlighted the importance of creative freedom to experiment without fear of making a mistake, which is fundamental to inspiring and empowering the STEM leaders of the future.
This data is a real call to action. LEGO can make a positive difference by setting the benchmark for learning through play and exploration.
