LEGO's alleged commitment to gender equality: How the company's discourse shapes gender
Author
Wunder, Jennifer Martina
Term
4. term
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-05-31
Abstract
Med udgangspunkt i LEGO’s løfte fra 2021 om at bekæmpe kønsbias undersøger denne afhandling, i hvilket omfang virksomheden har integreret nonbinære perspektiver i sin offentlige diskurs. Gennem et kvalitativt casestudie og Faircloughs kritiske diskursanalyse analyseres tre virksomhedstekster—pressemeddelelsen fra 2021, Diversity and Inclusivity-siden og Brand-siden—med støtte i socialkonstruktivisme og Judith Butlers teori om køn som performativt, suppleret af indsigter fra medie- og marketingforskning. Analysen peger på positive tiltag, herunder delvist inkluderende sprog, men afdækker også mangler: uensartethed mellem teksterne, begrænset dybde i behandlingen af nonbinære identiteter og en fortsat reproduktion af binære kønsnormer, især via fraværet af eksplicit kønsdrøftelse på brand-siden. Økonomisk har en bredere målretning mod piger været fordelagtig, og yderligere kønsinklusion kan udvide markedet, men oplevede kommercielle risici ser ud til at skabe tøven, der svækker virksomhedens erklærede forpligtelser. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at LEGO kan bruge sin mediemæssige rækkevidde til at fremme mere inkluderende offentlige samtaler, men at det kræver en mere eksplicit, sammenhængende og vedvarende diskurs, der centrerer nonbinære perspektiver for at skabe reel kønsligestilling.
Against the backdrop of LEGO’s 2021 pledge to eliminate gender bias, this thesis investigates how far the company has integrated nonbinary perspectives into its public discourse. Using a qualitative case study and Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis, it examines three corporate texts—the 2021 press release, the Diversity and Inclusivity website, and the Brand website—drawing on social constructivism and Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, alongside insights from media and marketing research. The analysis finds positive steps, including partially inclusive language, but also reveals gaps: inconsistency across texts, limited depth in addressing nonbinary identities, and continued reinforcement of binary gender norms, particularly through the absence of explicit gender discussion on the brand site. From an economic angle, reaching girls has been profitable and broader gender inclusion could expand the market, yet perceived commercial risks appear to foster hesitation that undermines the company’s stated commitments. The study concludes that LEGO could leverage its media reach to foster more inclusive public conversations, but doing so will require a more explicit, coherent, and sustained discourse that centers nonbinary perspectives to advance genuine gender equality.
[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]
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