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Lego Toy Showing Wheelchair-Bound Man Gives A Diverse Touch

By R. Siva Kumar | Update Date: Jan 31, 2016 03:27 PM EST

This summer, Lego's new playset titled "Fun at the Park" has an unusual touch. It has made a figure showing a man in a wheelchair, reported The Guardian.

Lego had included a wheelchair-using figure in a Duplo set for small children before Jan. 27. The person in that set had been an elderly man, which reinforced the fact that children using wheelchairs become "highly underrepresented" in their toys.

Hence, Rebecca Atkinson began a campaign called #ToysLikeMe that made Lego include a wheelchair-using figure. "The brand continues to exclude 150 million disabled children worldwide by failing to positively represent them in its products ... This is more than just about sales figures or disability access, it's about changing cultural perceptions. It's about brands such as Lego using their vast power of influence to positive effect," said Atkinson.

At first, Lego had not agreed. "The beauty of the Lego system is that children may choose how to use the pieces we offer to build their own stories," they said, reported CBC.

But now the choice to include a man in a wheelchair displays that the 20,000 signatures of Atkinson's petition made a dent.

Hence, children with disabilities get a boost with the new toy. Lego's actions "will speak volumes to children, disabled or otherwise, the world over," said Atkinson, who works as a disability consultant and a journalist, according to NPR. This is one small step towards achieving tolerance and diversity for everyone.

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