Popular toymaker Mattel Inc. is expanding its push for inclusive play with the launch of its first autistic Barbie. On Sunday, the company added the doll to its Fashionistas line, which features models with a range of hair textures, skin tones, body types, medical conditions and disabilities.

Mattel partnered with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network

The autistic doll had been in development for more than 18 months in partnership with Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a grassroots nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and representation of people with autism. Mattel created the Barbie doll to reflect how autistic people may experience, process and communicate the world around them, according to a company news release.

Mattel and ASAN worked closely to create an autistic Barbie designed to reflect some of the everyday experiences, clothing choices, body types and facial characteristics seen among some people on the spectrum.

“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,” Jamie Cygielman, global head of dolls at Mattel, stated in a news release. “The doll, designed with guidance from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, helps to expand what inclusion looks like in the toy aisle and beyond because every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie.”

What are the specific features of the autistic Barbie?

Those physical traits include articulated elbows and wrists that allow for hand movements such as “stimming and hand flapping,” which some people on the autism spectrum use to “process sensory input or express excitement,” per the news release. The doll also features a slightly averted eye gaze, which reflects how some autistic people avoid direct eye contact, while its accessories include a pink finger-clip fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones and a tablet.

For the clothing style, the doll wears a loose-fitting purple pinstripe A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt, which provides less fabric-to-skin contact, according to the news release. The makers also added flat, purple shoes to complete the outfit, which provide stability and ease of movement.

“We’re honored to see this milestone come to life, and we will keep pushing for more representation like this that supports our community in dreaming big and living proud,” Colin Killick, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, stated in a news release.

The autistic Barbie joins other models in Mattel’s Fashionistas collection

The new autistic Barbie joins the Down syndrome doll, introduced in 2023, along with others like the Barbie with Type I diabetes, a Barbie and a Ken with a prosthetic leg, and a Barbie with hearing aids. The Fashionistas line also features tall, petite and curvy body types as well as numerous hair types and skin colors, according to ABC News and Blavity.

The doll is now available at Mattel’s online shop and at major retailers. Meanwhile, Walmart confirmed that it will start carrying the doll in March, per ABC News.

To mark the launch, Barbie will donate over 1,000 autistic dolls to pediatric hospitals, including Children’s National, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Rady Children’s Hospital, in an aim to bring joy, comfort and representation to children with autism.
The post First Autistic Barbie Doll Revealed By Mattel: ‘Every Child Deserves To See Themselves’ appeared first on Blavity.



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