LEGO Supreme Court Justices

UPDATE: A variation of this project has now been submitted to LEGO Ideas! Please see this post for more information.

Hopefully by now you've had the chance to check out Maia Weinstock's (deputy editor at MIT News) Legal Justice League: Women of the Supreme Court in LEGO:

photocredit: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk8XD6q8

photocredit: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk8XD6q8

Weinstock created the minifigures, featuring Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, in recognition of International Women's Day this year. This isn't Weinstock's first foray into creating unique LEGO minifigures--in the past she's created minifigures of female scientists, such as Temple Grandin:

photocredit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pixbymaia/sets/72157623988000684/

This project and her other LEGO creations are part of a larger groundswell push for greater (and better) representation of female characters in the LEGO universe. In August 2014, LEGO debuted a "Research Institute" set featuring traditional female LEGO minifigures in a scientific environment. The "Research Institute" stood in stark contrast to sets released under LEGO Friends, a product line started in 2012 and marketed towards girls. The LEGO Friends line includes mini-dolls in lieu of the traditional yellow-headed LEGO minifigures and uses bricks in various pastel shades.

Unfortunately, the League minifigures are not available for sale. Weinstock submitted her creation to LEGO Ideas, but it was rejected under the company's policy against producing minifigures pertaining to politics or embodying any political ideals.

Until LEGO changes its policy, we'll have to be satisfied with viewing photographs of the League available on Weinstock's flickr album...

...OR for those who refuse to be thwarted by corporate policies and are feeling ambitious, you can try making your own version of a female Supreme Court Justice LEGO minifigure:

 Elena Kagan

photocredit: LEGO images from LEGO.com, assembled by Grace E. Lee

Take the robe and legs from The Graduate (Series 5) + Larry the Barista's Hair (The Lego Movies Series) + a female LEGO head of your choice. Though black legs are easy to find, the solid black torso is a bit more difficult. Bricklink and ebay are good sources for locating hard-to-find parts.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

photocredit: LEGO images from LEGO.com, assembled by Grace E. Lee

Start by snagging the robe and legs from The Graduate (Series 5) and add a ruff from Shakespeare (The Lego Movie) or Thespian (Series 8) to emulate RBG's jabot. Though female buns abound in the LEGO universe, a short, center-parted hairstyle might prove difficult to track down. Try using ebay, bricklink, or any of the other secondary LEGO markets to find the hair and all black torso. Then top off with the head from the Librarian (Series 10).

Sonia Sotomayor

photocredit: LEGO images from LEGO.com, assembled by Grace E. Lee

Use the legs and robe from The Graduate (Series 5), a black LEGO torso (from ebay, bricklink, etc.), hair from Andrea (from the LEGO Friends line), and the female LEGO head of your choice to assemble your very own LEGO Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

Sandra Day O'Connor

photocredit: LEGO images from LEGO.com, assembled by Grace E. Lee

This one starts with a judge minifigure (Series 9), but not the kind needed to make a SCOTUS Justice. Use the legs and torso (which already comes with a jabot!) to provide the base for LEGO Justice O'Connor. The arms are the wrong color, but can be popped out and swapped for black ones with a little elbow grease (though, there'll be some red left on the torso). Add in the robe from The Graduate (Series 5), use the female head of your liking, and top off with the hair from Grandma (The Lego Movie).