Today’s guest article for International Women’s Day comes from BrickNerd Patron and WBI leader Megan Lum. She surveyed 200 women AFOLs for their thoughts and opinions on the LEGO hobby.

What better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than to talk to women AFOLs about LEGO? In a decidedly unscientific survey, I asked women AFOLs how their thoughts on different aspects of the LEGO hobby. What advice would seasoned AFOLs give to beginners? What do the beginners think is the best part of the hobby? Read on to find out what the women I talked to thought.

There are plenty of women AFOLs out there! The women’s network is mighty – I posted some questions and got over 200 responses in just over 48 hours. I asked women to self-identify how long they’d been involved with the hobby, so I heard from women new to the hobby as well as those who have been working with the bricks for many years.

Brick to the Future

I asked those women who had been with the hobby for a while – keeping in mind, “a while” was anywhere between a few years and a few decades – that if they could go back to when they started with the brick, what did they wish they knew? There were several themes that emerged in the answers.

Not surprisingly, money was a key theme – particularly around setting a budget, or watching what you spend. LEGO is an expensive hobby, but there were many cautionary tales of not falling in the FOMO (fear of missing out) trap. There’s a temptation when first entering the hobby to buy everything, and it’s a hard impulse to overcome. “Have and stick to a budget for LEGO,” advises Vicarious Brixtress. “Get a creative Brick Box and PLAY! Polybags are a great way to ‘taste test’ different themes.”

However, there was a lot of guidance to make sure to get the sets you want before they retire. As BrickG.irl notes, “Buy the sets you wished you’d bought when they were available!” Others counseled bringing balance to your LEGO spending habit, best described by Dallas G: “Buy the sets you really want before they retire, as opposed to buying what you don’t really want because it’s on clearance.”

No matter the spending habits, there are themes that were almost everyone’s retroactive wish list. Many women wished they could tell themselves to go back and buy all the modular buildings, and all the winter village sets. It seems there are a lot of AFOLs out there with a soft spot for those themes, and women are no exception.

But the most pervasive theme in the advice women would give their past selves is to own the hobby. Many women would tell themselves to not worry what others think about their love of brick. Many are worried that others would judge or even shame them for being in the hobby. Several recounted their first visit to a LEGO Brand Store and being pleasantly surprised when the LEGO staff were warm and welcoming, unlike the reception they’d expected. As burghbricks shares, “Trust yourself more. Yes, you’re going into a male-dominated hobby, but the things you build are impressive and just as cool, if not moreso, than your male counterparts. Don’t second guess your ability. Be confident in yourself and just do you.”

Burghbricks with her creations at a LEGO Brand store

One piece of advice that really resonated with many was provided by BrickNerd contributor Teresa Elmore: “It’s (the LEGO hobby) not just about MOCing. There are masses of other parts of the hobby and they are all equally valid.”

Find Your Community

When asked what advice they would give to women starting in the hobby, some of these themes continued, particularly around budgeting. The battle against FOMO does persist, so much of the advice is to set a budget and stick to it, making sure that you save for the sets you want the most. (That sounds so easy, doesn’t it?). Cynthia B makes the very sensible suggestion, “Enjoy what you acquire and don't let the need to collect or complete things drive you. Unopened sets are just dust collectors.”

Unfortunately, a prevalent theme in advice to new women AFOLs is how to deal with misogyny in the hobby. The hobby is male-dominated, and as such, some groups have historically not been welcoming to women (though some definitely have). However, it’s difficult to know which is which. Many women suggested that one of the first things on a new woman AFOL’s list is to find a women’s LEGO group as soon as possible. Some were quite blunt and felt that women’s groups were much more pleasant places to be, based on their personal experiences with some men in the hobby.

Groups like the Women’s Brick Initiative and the Ladies’ LEGO Lounge on Facebook are ideal for those starting out. As BrickNerd contributor Inez says, “Find other women to share the hobby with. There are plenty! If you meet unsavory characters in this journey (and there will be some), do not let them rob you of the joy of being an AFOL. At the end of the day, we have the choice to choose our happiness, and if LEGO makes you happy, nobody should take that away from you.”

No Wrong Way to LEGO

There was some other terrific advice:

“Don't let things intimidate you. Movement in MOCs can be figured out, use of Technic can be figured out. There may always be someone building something bigger and more detailed. Don't discount that your ideas and style deserves to be seen.” - Kimberly G
“Don't be put off by people sharing their huge collections, everyone has a different budget. Do LEGO your own way, there is no right or wrong.” - BrickG.irl
“There is no one right way to LEGO. All LEGO play is legitimate. Do what you want, and if it's not fun, you don't have to do it.” - crayonbeams
“You are a legitimate AFOL, no matter what your LEGO jam is. Love building sets from the directions? Get a kick out of making spaceships? Wanna fill tables with ginormous mocs? Deck yourself out with Dots bracelets, wearables, cosplay, even? Want all the pink sparkles? None of the pink sparkles? You are still an AFOL. You still belong.” - Amanda M

Getting Involved At Your Own Pace

I also asked women (both new and not-so-new AFOLs) what excites them about the hobby, and what keeps them going. Not surprisingly, themes were consistent across the board. There were those who love the versatility of LEGO. As Kelly B explains, “My favorite thing about LEGO is that it is art and problem-solving all in one. LEGO satisfies my need for creative expression, but it is also a fun and challenging puzzle each time I make a new MOC. It’s like a puzzle that I both create and solve myself, and the results are so rewarding for my brain!

MOC building isn’t the only way to enjoy LEGO, which only adds to the versatility. As burghbricks said, “I like that there are so many different ways to be involved. If I’m feeling burnt out on the creative side, I can just build sets. If I’m not feeling like building at all, I can photograph or just collect.”

Many women also love LEGO building for the contemplative qualities. Building sets provides a way to focus, and of course, sorting was listed many times as a calming activity (to an extent – nobody likes to be sorting all the time!). LEGO was described many times as being therapeutic or providing a way to deal with anxiety, or process traumatic events. Dana F shares, “It relaxes me to sort LEGO and see it all come together while building. I like to keep small sets on my desk to work on during my breaks at work to clear my mind. It really helps me get through the stressful days.”

The most common theme of excites women about the LEGO hobby was community. Most BrickNerd readers have an idea of how expansive the LEGO community is. Many women cited really enjoying having a hobby that they could share with their family – whether it’s their kids, or their spouse, or both. With others, it’s sharing the hobby with friends from around the world that they’ve met through the hobby.

LEGO estimates that women make up less than a quarter of AFOLs. I’m not sure how accurate that is, but the community of women AFOLs out there is strong, and, on this International Women’s Day, looks to be getting stronger.

Many thanks to the members of the Women’s Brick Initiative and Ladies’ LEGO Lounge Facebook groups for their participation. If you are curious about getting involved, please join us online or read this article from LEGO on the Women’s Brick Initiative.

What does the LEGO community mean to you? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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