Barbie has announced its first autistic doll. This new Barbie is designed to reflect what life is like for someone with Autism and is getting a lot of press! Created in a partnership with the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, this Barbie is designed to illustrate stimming with her arms having joints for that, the tendency of those with ASD to avoid direct eye contact, and, "The Barbie's accessories also reflect those that some autistic people sport, like noise-canceling headphones, loose-fitting clothing, and a tablet with Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps."
This Barbie is part of Mattel's line of inclusive Barbie dolls (Barbie Fashionistas), with one previously released that illustrated what life was like for someone with Type 1 Diabetes. The idea is to help others feel understood and remove stigmas at times associated with ASD. Releasing a doll themed for ASD could go horribly wrong or be offensive, but Mattel seems to have taken a lot of care in researching and releasing this latest Barbie, so I applaud them. This Barbie is set to arrive in stores very soon and will cost around twelve bucks.
No comments:
Post a Comment