Mattel introduces first of its kind Barbie: ‘Important step in our commitment to inclusivity’
Mattel’s newest Barbie doll dons a stylish ensemble: a blue polka skirt and crop top set, and a baby blue purse with matching platform boots. But her standout accessories? A bright-pink insulin pump and glucose monitor.
She’s Mattel’s first Barbie doll representing people with Type 1 diabetes.
In an announcement, the dollmaker said the newest edition encourages more children to see themselves reflected in Barbie.
“Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls, in a press release. “Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.”
Mattel partnered with Breakthrough T1D — a Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization formerly known as Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation- to design a Barbie that accurately reflected people with diabetes, from medical equipment to symbols that represent diabetes awareness.
The doll is part of the Barbie Fashionistas line, a collection of more 175 looks across various skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashion styles, including a Blind Barbie doll, a Barbie doll with Down Syndrome, and a Barbie doll with Hearing Aids and Barbie dolls with wheelchairs and vitiligo.
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