Mattel, Aiming to Foster ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Understanding,’ Launches First Autistic Barbie

Mattel has unveiled its first autistic Barbie doll, which features eyes that gaze slightly to the side and comes with noise-canceling headphones and a fidget spinner.The latest addition to the brand’s “Fashionistas” line, the doll aims to better reflect the diverse world children see around them. Developed over 18 months in collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the new doll is designed to represent some of the unique ways autistic individuals experience and interact with the world.“As autism can impact fine motor skills,” Mattel writes on its website, “she wears her hair in a loose style accented by noise-canceling headphones. More than just an accessory, they help relax her when she’s sensitive to stimuli!”The doll, wearing a lavender and white pinstriped dress with a relaxed fit that “provides less fabric-to-skin contact,” also comes with a fidget spinner “that really works,” too.“From hanging with friends to having a picnic in the park or going to the movies, she loves having the spinner handy when she’s out and about!” Mattel says.To accurately depict the autistic experience — which varies widely among individuals — Mattel and the autism network focused on specific design elements that signal neurodivergence. The doll features eyes that gaze slightly to the side, reflecting how some autistic people may avoid direct eye contact.The doll also has fully bendable elbows and wrists to allow for repetitive movements, such as hand-flapping or “stimming,” which can help manage sensory information or express emotion.The accessories were also chosen with care, Mattel said. Besides the noise-canceling headphones and fidget spinner, autistic Barbie sports a computer tablet with symbol-based communication buttons representing the augmentative and alternative communication devices used by non-speaking individuals.“Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we’re proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work,” Mattel’s global head of dolls Jamie Cygielman said in a statement. “The doll helps to expand what inclusion looks like in the toy aisle and beyond because every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie.”Autism advocate Madison Marilla praised the release of the new doll. “Dolls have always brought me comfort, stability, and joy,” she said in Mattel’s statement. “I’ve been collecting Barbie dolls since I was four years old, and now this autistic Barbie will be one of my favorites.”“My good friend said these words to me, ‘Let yourself out and don’t hold yourself in,’ and it taught me how to educate people about autism. This autistic Barbie makes me feel truly seen and heard. I hope all the kids I’ve mentored feel the same when they see her, and I hope people who aren’t autistic feel educated and gain a better understanding of autism when they see this doll,” she said.Mattel first released the Barbie doll in 1959, but there were no dolls with disabilities until 2019. The latest release follows other recent inclusive additions to the Barbie line, including dolls with Down syndrome, hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, and vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder that discolors patches of skin. There are also blind dolls and one that uses a wheelchair with a ramp, as well as a Ken doll with a prosthetic leg.To celebrate the launch, Mattel will donate more than 1,000 autistic Barbie dolls to leading pediatric hospitals that provide specialized services for children on the autism spectrum, including Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Mattel, Aiming to Foster ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Understanding,’ Launches First Autistic Barbie

Mattel, Aiming to Foster ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Understanding,’ Launches First Autistic Barbie

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