LordsofMedieval Posted June 17, 2023 Posted June 17, 2023 I bought my 41745 today for my niece without taking a particularly hard look at the box, or realizing that there would be awkward questions. Sadly (or, I guess, thankfully?) she has a keener eye than I do, and the first words out of her mouth were "where's her hand?" It took me a second to grasp that Autumn is disabled... although why she chooses not to use a prosthetic limb when that technology has come such a long way recently is just a bit baffling. My gut reaction (although I didn't give voice to it) was to say something a bit dark like "it was bit off by a werewolf" or "lost in a vicious duel in Theed Palace," but I was obliged to instead have a small 'conversation' (which I didn't want to have) about Autumn's disability (thank you Lego - truly). However, my niece would like Autumn to look a bit more complete, especially since she is riding horses in the set. Has anyone come up with a decent solution to give her some kind of, uh... glove or claw?
Lemerbrix Posted June 17, 2023 Posted June 17, 2023 Hi! As a huge fan of Lego friends (and also autumn, in particular) I can provide a good solution, autumn’s arm without a hand can fit a standard Lego bar, a lot of people use part 44873 for a prosthetic, here are some examples hope this helps!
LordsofMedieval Posted June 17, 2023 Author Posted June 17, 2023 Oh, yup! That's perfect. It even looks a bit like a prosthetic, I'm sure she'll be happy with that. Thanks.
Lemerbrix Posted June 17, 2023 Posted June 17, 2023 5 hours ago, LordsofMedieval said: Oh, yup! That's perfect. It even looks a bit like a prosthetic, I'm sure she'll be happy with that. Thanks. No problem!
Maple Posted June 18, 2023 Posted June 18, 2023 Wow.... I'm really speechless about how immature you are. I hope you don't have children. "Some people are born without a hand. LEGO took that fact and made a character based on it." Challenging.
Murdoch17 Posted June 18, 2023 Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Maple said: Wow.... I'm really speechless about how immature you are. I hope you don't have children. "Some people are born without a hand. LEGO took that fact and made a character based on it." Challenging. What are you talking about? If you're talking about the Lego figure, it's called diversity, because not everybody looks the same, and everyone deserves someone who looks like they do. From what I recall reading, a little girl with a limb difference wrote to Lego and asked why there weren't mini-doll's like her. This character is a result of that letter. LEGO also made it possible to attach a clip to her arm as a prosthetic, which is the point of this topic. (I hope this post isn't considered min-modding, but this post by Maple really irked me.) Edited June 18, 2023 by Murdoch17
LordsofMedieval Posted June 18, 2023 Author Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) 6 hours ago, Maple said: Wow.... I'm really speechless about how immature you are. I hope you don't have children. "Some people are born without a hand. LEGO took that fact and made a character based on it." Challenging. ... what? Dude, people wear prosthetics. The technology has gotten much, much better in recent years, to the point now where we are verging on bionic replacements. As things stand today, provided you have some muscle mass left in the limb, a prosthetic can actually be manipulated via muscular movement, opening and closing a mechanical hand. They're already testing attachments that connect directly to nerve-endings and simulate a sense of touch. I'm not even going to address the argument (which I guess you're angered about) that 'this is fantasy, and maybe in a fantasy world nobody has to be hurt or suffer catastrophic, permanent harm' (which would also be a valid case, but which NOBODY in this thread was asking for). But even from the perspective of devastating injuries or birth defects existing in the Friends world, there's no reason that poor Autumn has to go around with just a stump. Lego embraces technology on other fronts - the prominent electric vehicles, solar panels, etc. being obvious examples. Why should this poor girl's existence be limited to being what amounts to a one-dimensional emotional prop and living example of medieval standards of medical care? (*Edit* I also want to add here: I AM PHYSICALLY DISABLED IRL. I have a giant abdominal wall hernia as a result of medical malpractice [don't google images of it unless you want to puke]. I can't lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk, have trouble walking and standing, and can't exercise. If I could fix ME, I would. I don't exist for your false pity, and neither do handicapped people. We want to help ourselves). Sling your manufactured rage elsewhere. I wasn't asking for a replacement left arm - I was asking for an an item to give her an ability to safely grip the reins of her damned mount; to empower herself; to make herself as whole as she can be. The same item she would ask for in real life. Edited June 18, 2023 by LordsofMedieval
Peppermint_M Posted June 18, 2023 Posted June 18, 2023 Hey OP On 6/17/2023 at 1:31 AM, LordsofMedieval said: but I was obliged to instead have a small 'conversation' (which I didn't want to have) about Autumn's disability (thank you Lego - truly). I think Maple is reacting to that. Or the part where you were "baffled" by the lack of visible prosthetic. Bit of a worse reaction than a child simply asking about the differences of others in the usual way of a curious and observant kid. There is no demand for a fantasy where no one is disabled or anything like that. It entirely reads as a bit of a "dunk" on you. I work in a business/social enterprise specifically set up to allow employment for those less able, in an industry that supplies adaptations and aids for people to live their life, so I am pretty experienced in it too. So, you might not be aware that many people born with limbs missing sometimes can't be bothered with using a prosthetic or don't see the need for it. Why should they change themselves to conform to a "Normal" demanded by certain sections of society. Others may find them uncomfortable or even painful to wear and will use then only when they really really have to. The excuse of "riding a horse" is pretty poor, differently able equestrians exist and can ride way better than fully physically able me I can tell you! (horses are big and scary). Please don't minimod guys, Maple, Murdoch If you read something that upsets you outside of the normal thread of discussion (aka this) report it and leave it alone. I know many people want to see an immediate or even visible reaction to things, but sometimes staff will have a private chat or message the user to explain the issue and settle the situation. Like here, where from your perspective it read on way but from another it read in a way that could have resulted in the original post getting a report.
LordsofMedieval Posted June 18, 2023 Author Posted June 18, 2023 (edited) 47 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said: Hey OP I think Maple is reacting to that. Or the part where you were "baffled" by the lack of visible prosthetic. Bit of a worse reaction than a child simply asking about the differences of others in the usual way of a curious and observant kid. There is no demand for a fantasy where no one is disabled or anything like that. It entirely reads as a bit of a "dunk" on you. That's your opinion, which I respectfully disagree with wholesale. I don't think Lego should be in a position of forcing conversations with 8-year-olds - it is my (or, in this case, her parents') responsibility to select a time and a place for that; not a corporation's. Why? Because losing an arm is horrifying. We don't know that Autumn was necessarily born that way (or, certainly, the box leaves that completely ambiguous). She lives on a farm - she very well could have lost it in a machinery accident. Let's not pretend that these things haven't happened, don't happen, or will not happen in the future. It's pleasant to imagine that Autumn was simply missing her forearm at birth. But devoid of a clear-cut answer, she's quite possibly maimed. Why should guardians be left trying to fill in their gaps on that matter? And that is precisely why obligating parents to have this conversation is a dirty and "baffling" move - because nobody should be forced to carry Lego's water on a subject that is potentially enormously dark. This is a traumatic issue. More importantly, there is this: there are overt and undeniable elements of both shaming and suppression of the individual with regards to Autumn not using a prosthetic in any set. As to the first point, it implies that there is something wrong with people wanting to improve their own state of being by employing advantageous technology; that Autumn 'isn't being herself' unless she's out there without anything on her arm to help her. With regards to the second point, by Autumn choosing to do without any kind of assistance, Lego essentially distills her personality to that of allegory. What's the most important thing about Autumn for Lego? That she's a vehicle for forcing a discussion - that's it. That's why she is the way she is. And equipping her with a prosthetic would reduce that impact. Which is why she doesn't have one. Frankly, I've now been personally attacked twice in this thread - first by Maple, and second by you in the bolded portion - for the sin of asking a question involving part selection and implying that I was troubled about having to do legwork for Lego. It is not a self-own to express such a sentiment (especially since many other people apparently find the lack of a prosthetic a problem). Certainly, nothing I said warranted going after my character, or letting someone suggest I abstain from having children just stand uncensored. Edited June 18, 2023 by LordsofMedieval
Peppermint_M Posted June 18, 2023 Posted June 18, 2023 If you want to take my post as a personal attack, that is entirely your prerogative, I was merely stating the potential intent of the poster. Not intending to cause offence. I see you are choosing to take the aggressive position and are illustrative of cultural differences everyone has to deal with over the internet. No one choice is superior to the other, however eight is not an age where it is harmful to explain disability in the more basic terms. Brutal detail is not necessary or demanded, is it. As your question has been answered and all that seems to be going on is more arguments out there, I think locking is best. Enjoy the solution there are a lot of colours to choose from. Maybe don't get anything with Paisley in it, that might require a discussion on neuro-divergent folks. So many of us live with invisible disability. Plus at least one set has a wheelchair user, FYI.
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