Barbie has released a range of COVID-19’s female heroes, celebrating the women that have helped the world during the pandemic.
In recent years Mattel has moved away from just immortalising Barbie and her slew of glamorous celebrity friends. Could we ever forget Cher Barbie?
Seemingly, in an attempt for the toymaker to become ‘woke’, it now has taken to modelling Barbies after female leaders. Perhaps trying to make everyone forget about all those accusations that Barbie was causing poor body image for women.
The arrival of the COVID-19 hero Barbies have come just after former Deputy Prime Minister Julie Bishop revealed her own Barbie – unfortunately, Bishop’s Barbie was unavailable for purchase.
Thankfully, the COVID-19 hero Barbies are available to buy at Target.
The five Barbies were created in the likeness of female medical experts in their respected fields and aim to celebrate a diverse range of women around the world.
- Emergency room nurse: Amy O’Sullivan.
- Advocate and doctor: Dr Chika Stacy Oriuwa.
- Co-creator of the AZ vaccine: Professor Sarah Gilbert
- Biomedical researcher: Dr Jaqueline Goes de Jesus
- General Practitioner and co-founder of the gowns for doctors: Dr Kirby White.
While Barbie may traditionally be known for glamour, these Barbies are adorned in more practical attire.
Australia’s Dr Whites Barbie comes in scrubs, while Professor Gilbert’s Barbie is in a classic pantsuit.
Gilbert told The Guardian that she found having her own Barbie, “Very strange.”
However, she added: “I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into Stem careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realise how vital careers in science are to help the world around us.”
The Barbies are also helping a good cause. Five dollars from each first responder Barbie sold at Target will go towards First Responder’s Children’s Foundation (FRCF), a charity that benefits the children of first responders.
Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie & dolls, Mattel, said: “Barbie recognises that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened.
“To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories and leveraging Barbie’s platform to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back.
“Our hope is to nurture and ignite the imaginations of children playing out their own storyline as heroes.”
