Mattel Launches Autistic Barbie Doll - Mouths of Mums

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Article Mattel Launches Autistic Barbie Doll

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Toy giant Mattel has released its first autistic Barbie, featuring elbow and wrist articulation for stimming, a shifted eye gaze and fidget spinner.

The doll, which is available in Australia for $20.99, was developed in partnership and with guidance from the autistic community.

The Barbie includes:

  • Elbow and wrist articulation, enabling stimming, hand flapping, and other hand gestures that some members of the autistic community use to process sensory information or express excitement.
  • The doll is designed with an eye gaze shifted slightly to the side, which reflects how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact.
  • Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones and a tablet.
  • The doll holds a pink finger clip fidget spinner that actually spins, offering a sensory outlet that can help reduce stress and improve focus.
  • Pink noise-cancelling headphones rest on top of the doll’s head as a helpful and fashionable accessory that reduces sensory overload by blocking out background noise.
  • A pink tablet showing symbol-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps (AAC) on its screen serves as a tool to help with everyday communication.
  • The doll wears a loose-fitting, purple pinstripe A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact. Purple shoes complete the outfit, with flat soles to promote stability and ease of movement.

Mattel has previously released Barbie dolls in the Fashionistas range which have type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome and blindness.

Do you have a child with autism? What do you think of this doll? Let us know in the comments below.

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Comments

  • I am rather unsure about this doll too. First of all every person is different and so is every person with ASD. I don’t think that people with ASD look in a certain way and am very hesitant to think in stereo types. Although I do like the positive intention of Mattel to include

    Reply

  • Very unsure about this. I understand they are trying to make inclusive Barbies but as humans we are all so fundamentally different and it is impossible to represent everyone in doll form. Barbies are represented by physical differences, which is unable to be represented with ASD. There is no certain ‘look’. Im not a fan of traditional barbie dolls but I think they should stop trying.

    Reply

  • I totally agree with you on this one

    Reply

  • I also am not a fan of Barbie they were around when I was a child which was like over 60 years ago.
    I have 2 daughters I never bought them Barbie. But as for this new version of Barbie I am on the fence about this one seems to just all about Money.

    Reply

  • It must be hard to make a doll that fully represents a condition that is more pyschological or mental (compared to physical). It seems like they have done a pretty good job overall. It’s great they’ve consulted people actually affected by it. While this may be about making money, it also does some good.

    Reply

  • I have never been a fan of Barbie dolls and never encouraged my daughter with them, though she did have a few given to her as gifts. They seem to be bringing out all sorts of things nowadays and I am not sure it is needed. Kids can play with them and imagine the scenarios themselves.

    Reply

  • I’m sorry I think we’re taking it a bit too far.

    Reply

  • I don’t like the name being autism Barbie. It should be ASD Barbie as the spectrum is noted these days.

    Reply

  • They are coming out with some good ideas. I think it is great that Mattel are recognising people in the community who do not fit the sterotypes and representing this. I have a daughter who is on the spectrum and while she is too old for dolls now, I can see that when she was younger it may have appealed.

    Reply
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