Barbie’s First Doll with Down Syndrome

Mattel’s Barbie has launched its first-ever doll with Down’s syndrome as part of its Fashionistas line, which aims to promote diversity and inclusivity. The company worked closely with the National Down Syndrome Society to ensure the doll accurately represents people with the condition. The new doll’s features, shape, clothing, accessory, and packaging were developed in partnership with society to ensure it provided kids with a more diverse representation of beauty and challenged the stigma around physical disabilities.

The doll is dressed in patterns and symbols associated with the Down syndrome community, and orthotic sneakers, sometimes, worn by people with the disorder. This representation has garnered praise from netizens, who are thrilled with Mattel’s attempt at inclusivity. The NDSS president and CEO, Kandi Pickard, stated that the new Barbie doll means so much for their community, allowing them to play with a doll that looks like them.

For decades, Barbie dolls have represented white, slender, and blonde women with very narrow waists and ample bosoms, always teetering on impossibly high heels. However, in 2016, as sales began to soften, Mattel redesigned the dolls to be more realistic by making them inclusive and diverse in appearance. The reintroduction of Barbie featured four body types, seven skin tones, 22 eye colors, and 24 hairstyles.

–Re-reported from the story originally published in NDTV