Mattel is launching a new autistic Barbie as part of its effort to celebrate diversity. This doll joins a growing collection that already features Barbies with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, and a Ken doll with vitiligo. These additions aim to make their dolls more inclusive and relatable.
To create the autistic Barbie, Mattel partnered with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. They spent over 18 months ensuring the doll accurately reflects how autistic individuals experience the world. Autism is a broad spectrum, so capturing its variety was a challenge. Noor Pervez from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network shared that autism can look different for everyone. The goal was to show some of those diverse expressions.
For instance, the new Barbie’s eyes are designed to look slightly to the side, representing how some autistic people avoid direct eye contact. The doll has articulated elbows and wrists that symbolize stimming behaviors—like hand-flapping—that help many autistic individuals process their surroundings.
When designing the outfit, Mattel faced choices about fit. Some autistic people prefer loose clothes for comfort, while others favor tighter clothing for sensory awareness. Ultimately, they chose an A-line dress with a flowy skirt and flat shoes to support movement.
Each doll comes with helpful accessories, like a fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones, and a pink tablet. These tools help some autistic individuals communicate, especially those who are nonverbal.
This Barbie also represents cultural diversity, with features inspired by Mattel’s employees in India. Pervez emphasized the importance of this representation, noting that many autistic individuals from various backgrounds are often underrepresented.
In the past year, Mattel has introduced other dolls reflecting different experiences, including a doll with Down syndrome and one representing Type 1 diabetes. The Barbie Fashionistas line is designed to be diverse in body types, skin tones, and abilities.
Jamie Cygielman, Mattel’s global head of dolls, expressed pride in the new release, highlighting the brand’s commitment to mirroring the world that children see.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism rates have been on the rise, with 1 in 31 children in the U.S. being diagnosed. Interestingly, studies show that certain demographics, particularly Black, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander children, may be diagnosed at higher rates than their white peers. This reflects the importance of representation and awareness in toys, which can foster understanding and acceptance among children.
The new autistic Barbie will be available at Mattel’s online store and Target, with Walmart expected to stock it in March, priced around $11.87.
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Health, Race and ethnicity, Autism, Lifestyle, U.S. news, General news, Business, Article, 129122464
