Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'The Telegraph' Sparks Outrage With Headline Decrying 'Woke' LEGOs That Depict Disabled People

A racially diverse group of 8 LEGO characters are arranged as if posing for a picture, with 6 standing and 2 sitting down in front of the rest of the group.
LEGO

The U.K. newspaper eventually changed an ableist headline calling LEGO 'woke' for introducing new figurines that depict people with Down Syndrome and limb differences after a flurry of backlash.

Make us preferred on Google

British news outlet The Telegraph is under fire after it published an article decrying LEGO as "woke" because the company released a new line of LEGO Friends Minifigures of children with various visible and invisible disabilities.

The Telegraph put out an article criticizing LEGO for the inclusion with the headline:


"Lego goes 'woke' as new figures released with Down's syndrome and missing limbs"

tweet from @mimmymum with a screenshot of the story from The Telegraph with the caption "This was the Telegraph headline \u2014calling representation of disabled people 'woke' \u2014 before the disability charity @scope asked them to change it! Right-wing media are so desperate to vilify organisations supporting minority inclusion, they've lost any sense of humanity! [Disappointed Face Emoji]"@mimmymum/Twitter

Disability rights group Scope—as well as plenty of others—quickly called out The Telegraph and article author Nick Squires on Twitter.

Scope asked:

"Why are you so against disabled children being able to see themselves reflected in their toys? Don't they deserve the right to play?"

They also noted:

"Weaponising disabled representation like this is hugely damaging."

The Telegraph eventually changed the headline, but it was concerning it was ever published in the first place.

Other Twitter users were also incredulous at The Telegraph headline's audacity.

A tweet from @DrFrancesRyan with a screenshot showing an article from The Telegraph and the sarcastic caption "Thoughts and prayers to The Telegraph who are angry about *checks notes* disabled children having toys that make them feel good. Good to take those entitled b******s down a notch!"@DrFrancesRyan/Twitter



@adamhillscomedy/Twitter

@adamhillscomedy/Twitter

Others were just glad to see LEGO making an effort to acknowledge disabled children and help them see themselves in their toys.


The Telegraph wasn't alone in calling out Lego for going "woke" by including disabled people in their Friends line of products.

Fox News' Harris Faulkner did a segment claiming the Lego company based in Denmark was pushing identity politics on behalf of Democrats to attack Republicans.

The Young Turks skewered Fox for their latest outrage in a segment you can see here:

youtu.be

According to LEGO's press release, they definitely didn't make this decision randomly.

Or in relation to any politics.

Lego conducted a thorough investigation of what kids actually want.

"Because the LEGO Group values children as its role models, this next generation of LEGO Friends has implemented input from kid testing, research and feedback from letters sent to the company, which all found children had a desire to see themselves, their friends and their families better represented."

Their findings were honestly encouraging for the future.

Kids want their toys to be more diverse and reflective of real kids and for the world, in general, to be more equitable.

"The research also found that 3 in 4 (73%) children felt that there were not enough toys with characters that represented them and similarly, that 8 in 10 (80%) children would like there to be more toys with characters who look like them."
"Moreover, children themselves are asking for a fairer, more equitable world with 9 out of 10 (91%) saying they care about everyone being treated equally."

They said of the new toy line:

"The brand-new universe of authentic, interesting, passionate, and diverse characters includes additions of multiple skin tones, cultures, physical and non-visible disabilities, and neurodiversity."
"The new sets and series will feature characters with limb difference, Downs [sic] Syndrome, anxiety, vitiligo, and a dog with a wheelchair."

It's not just visible representation either.

The characters' storylines were written to reflect what life is really like for disabled kids.

"The new friends also explore and work to overcome modern challenges that they face, passions, obstacles, and differences, all while trying to create friendships."

LEGO is far from the only toy manufacturer moving to be more inclusive in their toys.

So, if The Telegraph is truly bothered by diversity in children's toys, they'd better be ready to be really, really upset.

More from Trending

Heidi Klum
Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images

Heidi Klum Teases Highly-Anticipated 2026 Halloween Costume—And Fans Have Theories Already

No one does a Halloween costume quite like Heidi Klum.

Every year, the Queen of Halloween dazzles and spooks crowds with her extreme commitment to the bit. Last year, at her annual All Hallows Eve party held at the Hard Rock Hotel in New York City, Klum appeared as a lizard-like rendition of Medusa with a long tail dragging behind her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jennifer Lawrence; Connor Wood
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images; Michael Simon/GC Images

'Dancing With The Stars' Contestant Has Priceless Reaction After Jennifer Lawrence Reveals He Once Ignored Her

Imagine actually getting acknowledged by your celebrity crush—but only so they could roast you.

That's what happened to comedian Connor Wood when his crush Jennifer Lawrence sent him a message on social media.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Bill Maher
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Drops Epic 1,300-Word Truth Social Rant Against Bill Maher After White House Dinner—And Yikes

On Sunday night, MAGA Republican President Donald Trump posted a stream of consciousness rant about repeat dinner guest, comedian, and host of HBO's Real Time Bill Maher and it's a lot.

Literally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bill Clinton; Donald Trump
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images

Bill Clinton Mocks Trump's Rose Garden Renovation With Savage Liberace Comparison—And We Totally See It

Former President Bill Clinton criticized Congress for failing to push back against President Donald Trump's Rose Garden renovation, comparing it to the style of the late pianist and performer Liberace, who was known for gaudy gold costumes and flashy choreography.

The Oval Office has also been significantly revamped since Trump took office in January 2025. It features, among other things, a fireplace adorned with gold cherubs and medallions, surrounded by portraits of American statesmen in ornate gold frames and shelves filled with gilded figurines, urns, and freshly-installed Rococo mirrors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump and Nicki Minaj
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Trump Grosses Out The Internet With Crass Comment About Nicki Minaj's Body At MAGA Rally

President Donald Trump disgusted observers after he singled out rapper Nicki Minaj during a Michigan campaign rally on Sunday, complimenting her "beautiful" backside.

Just days ago, Trump raised eyebrows after revealing at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, that he was "examining" Republican Senator Jon Husted's "body" while Husted was speaking, even commenting on Husted's butt. Trump made similar comments about Husted at the Michigan event, later adding, “off the record, women yes, men no.”

Keep ReadingShow less