As part of International Women’s Day, a special series of LEGO figures made their appearance on the Internet. The figures, dubbed the Legal Justice League, were created by Maia Weinstock to honor the women of the Supreme Court. The set, which Weinstock personally crafted, includes Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Sandra Day O’Connor– all of whom are currently or were at one time justices of the Court.

The set was created to “celebrate the accomplishments of women in the legal realm, and to encourage girls and women to work toward high positions in the U.S. judicial system” (Business Insider, 2015). Not long after the debut of the figures on her Flickr account, the Internet blew up with excitement and support for mass production of the toys. Although the individual figures are not currently available for purchase, many people have already offered to buy these one of a kind figurines.

Following the massive demand for the Legal Justice League set, Weinstock submitted the idea to the LEGO ideas website in hopes that the project could rally enough support from the public to become the next series of LEGO toys. However, once LEGO caught wind of the idea, they answered Weinstock’s proposal with a disappointing response. The company cited that they do not accept projects that involve politics or political symbols and therefore cannot manufacture the Legal Justice League.

Although this is understandable, it is a shame that LEGO will not produce figures that are based on women who have had such an impact on history simply because of the fact that they are political figures. That being said, the same thing goes for male figures in politics. There are a lot of great historical figures that could be produced that can help teach and familiarize children with history, figures that shouldn’t be excluded solely based on political affiliation or historical context. After all, Abraham Lincoln appeared in LEGO form in The LEGO Movie, so why can’t we honor other important heroes?

Despite the fact that LEGO already produces a vast amount of career-oriented characters, the addition of historical figures could only benefit children. Yes, there is already an array of fantastic characters created by LEGO- astronauts, scientists, and police figures that help promote the idea that children can be anything they want. However, it would be even better if there were figures that helped children learn about people who have shaped the modern world. The Legal Justice League is just one of many sets that could be impactful on youth and adults alike. Sets like Weinstock’s can empower girls to be a part of the legal system, whether that means as a lawyer, a judge, or a member of the Supreme Court. The fact of the matter is, LEGO figures should not be impacted by fear of political correctness, but should immortalize positive role models for young girls and boys alike.

Maddie Gallegos can be reached at blogs@collegian.com and on her twitter page, @MaddieGallegos.