The Lego Group has announced that it will be addressing the gender bias in its toys as a part of its "Ready for Girls" initiative after a worldwide survey revealed that consumers view gendered toys as "unequal and restrictive".

"The benefits of creative play such as building confidence, creativity and communication skills are felt by all children and yet we still experience age-old stereotypes that label activities as only being suitable for one specific gender. At the LEGO Group we know we have a role to play in putting this right," Julia Goldin, Lego's chief marketing officer, said in a company statement. "All children should be able to reach their true creative potential."

Moving forward, Lego says it hopes to encourage all children to engage in creative activities and play, regardless of their gender identity. The company has committed to "ensure LEGO products and marketing are accessible to all and free of gender bias and harmful stereotypes."

The study was conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and involved surveying nearly 7,000 participants from around the globe, including China, Poland, Russia, Japan, U.K., Czech Republic, and the U.S. Participants included parents and their children, ages 6 to 14.

It's worth noting that the survey included no gender-nonconforming children. According to Lego, this was because "no children identified as gender non-conforming in any of the countries surveyed"

The study found that girls "are less supportive" of gendered play roles, with 74% of boys saying some activities are for boys only, compared to 62% of girls.

The study also showed that, despite girls' willingness to explore new areas, society is less likely to support these choices: surveyed parents were six times more likely to think of athletes as men and eight times more likely to think of engineers as men, rather than women. These biases were also seen in the answers from children, but girls were much more likely to think of a wider range of professions as being appropriate for women compared to boys.

These biases are reflected in the toys that girls are encouraged to enjoy. More than three-quarters of parents surveyed said they would encourage a boy to play with Legos, but less than one-quarter said they would encourage a girl to engage in similar play.

"Girls are ready for the world but society isn't quite ready to support their growth through play," the company writes.

The company's announcement, made on the United Nations' International Day of the Girl, also included a 10-step guide for parents hoping to encourage inclusive play. The company also announced plans to release a series of short films "celebrating inspiring and entrepreneurial girls".

According to a company spokesperson, the "Ready for Girls" initiative is in keeping with the trend Lego has been following for some time. The company did away with gendered-toy search options on its website years ago, letting shoppers instead search by things like price or theme.

The release didn't include any specifics regarding what toys might be changed.

Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that will require retailers to provide a "reasonable selection" of gender-neutral toys, along with the traditional boys' and girls' sections. Failure to do so could result in a fine.