US EditionMattel adds an autistic Barbie to doll line devoted to showcasing diversity and inclusion
Mattel's autistic Barbie features sensory-friendly design and communication tools, with 1,000 dolls donated to pediatric hospitals to promote inclusion, the company said.
- On Monday, Mattel unveiled its first Barbie designed to represent autism, launching on Mattel Shop and major stores including Target for about $11.87.
- Mattel spent more than 18 months working with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network , developing a doll designed to reflect some ways autistic individuals experience and navigate the world.
- The doll features articulated elbows and wrists to allow stimming-like gestures, a slightly averted eye gaze, and sensory-conscious accessories including a pink fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones, and a tablet with symbol-based AAC apps.
- Supporters praised the new Barbie, though some in the autistic community said representation is more complicated; Mattel will donate more than 1,000 dolls to pediatric hospitals in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
- Part of the Barbie Fashionistas line, the new doll joins more than 175 looks and Mattel plans a wider release later this year at retailers including Walmart, noting it can't represent every autistic child.
477 Articles
477 Articles
Autistic Barbie Doesn’t Represent Me. She Shouldn’t Have to
Earlier this week, Mattel launched the first ever autistic Barbie—or at least the first Barbie to be explicitly identified as such. The newest addition to the Fashionistas collection, a line of Barbies that aims to bring more of the real world’s diversity to children’s play, was designed in conjunction with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Everything from her outfit to her accessories to her joints was made with input from real autistic peopl…
Autistic Barbie is not enough
Barbie is autistic. Or the new model released by Mattel this week is, at least. The new toy follows the same inclusivity initiative that saw a Barbie with Type 1 diabetes – equipped with an insulin pump and a glucose monitor – released last July. The autistic model comes with noise-cancelling headphones, a fidget spinner, an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tablet, mobile elbow joints to reflect the way some autistic people gesti…
Kiefer Sutherland’s troubled legal past resurfaces after rideshare altercation ends in arrest
Kiefer Sutherland was arrested Monday for allegedly assaulting a rideshare driver and making criminal threats, marking his latest legal trouble in a pattern dating back to 1989.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 52% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
