Mattel has just released their newest arrival to the diverse Fashionistas Collection, Autistic Barbie.
This doll was created in collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and took longer than a year to cultivate. Autistic Barbie was created to help children understand and celebrate the differences in autistic individuals. She is fully articulated, which allows the doll to move and “stim” as many autistic people do.
What Does She Look Like?
She is also dressed in a loose pinstriped dress, which provides comfort and ease of movement. She also comes with three new accessories, a pair of pink headphones, a tablet and a fidget toy. The doll also has one eye looking to the side, which helps show the difficulty of direct eye contact that many people with autism have.
“As proud members of the autistic community, our team was thrilled to help create the first ever Autistic Barbie doll. It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that’s exactly what this doll is.” -Colin Killick, Executive Director, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN).
Photo courtesy of: US Sun
Does Autistic Barbie Accurately Portray the Disability?
While this doll has been received with excitement and joy, it has also sparked debate on whether or not autism can be portrayed accurately in a doll. As said by the National Autistic Society, “There is no single way to appear or be autistic because all autistic people are unique, and for this reason there is no definitive sign or list of signs that can tell you whether you, your child or another person is autistic.” Unlike many disabilities, it is hard to say that someone is autistic just because of how they look. Many of the signs of Autism are less visual, and more to do with social interaction and behaviors. This has lead to some critics calling Mattel’s new creation an inaccurate representation of an important part of the disabled community.
Even though Autistic Barbie has been met with concerns and criticism, this doll’s purpose is to help children who are different learn to love themselves and celebrate their differences, and for some child, this Barbie might just be the thing that helps them begin to feel confident in themselves and the unique things that make them who they are.
