Sixty years after Barbie first appeared on our shelves, Mattel has launched its first-ever blind Barbie doll as part of its ongoing commitment to making the range more inclusive.
The US-based toy maker said that it hopes the addition will increase the representation of blind and low-vision children within society. “We recognise that Barbie is much more than just a doll; she represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging,” said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and the global head of dolls, in a statement.
Working alongside the American Foundation for the Blind, the doll was carefully curated to accurately depict a person with low vision or blindness. The doll holds a white and red cane with a marshmallow tip while its eye gaze faces slightly up and out to “accurately reflect the sometimes-distinct eye gaze of a blind individual”.
In line with this, testing was conducted with blind and low-vision children. Ultimately, the doll was created dressed in clothing with tactile fabric detailing. Loop fasteners were installed on the back of the doll’s top and an elastic waistband on the skirt to ensure more effortless dressing. The packaging is also more accessible and includes the word “Barbie” written in braille on the front of the box.
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In addition to its first blind Barbie, Mattel partnered with the American organisation the National Down Syndrome Society to launch its first black doll with Down’s syndrome. The launch follows the release of a white doll with Down’s syndrome last year. Guided by the NDSS, the doll features a shorter frame, longer torso and low muscle tone to reflect the physical characteristics some people with the genetic condition have. The doll also features a braided hair texture, a key feature requested by a focus group of Black members of the Down Syndrome community.
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This is just the latest in a series of additions to the doll range starting in 2009 with the launch of the Barbie Fashionista’s range that featured a small selection of dolls with different body types and skin tones for the first time. In 2019, the range was expanded to include 176 dolls with nine different body types, 35 skin tones and 94 hairstyles. The range also debuted a doll with a prosthetic leg and a wheelchair user.
In 2022, the first deaf Barbie was released along with a Ken doll with vitiligo – an autoimmune disease that causes the skin to lose pigment.
