"Created in collaboration with the US charity the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the autistic Barbie is designed to represent some of the ways children with autism may experience, process and communicate with the world. The doll's eyes gaze slightly to one side, reflecting how some autistic people avoid direct eye contact. She has fully bendable elbows and wrists, enabling repetitive physical movements such as stimming and hand-flapping that help some people with autism to process sensory information or express excitement."
"She has a (pink, of course) fidget spinner on her finger that helps reduce stress, wears (pink) noise-cancelling headphones to reduce sensory overload and carries a (yes, you've guessed it, pink) tablet with symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication buttons on its screen to help her cope with everyday communication. The autistic Barbie doll. Photograph: 2025 Mattel Barbie also wears a loose-fitting, purple pinstripe A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt to minimise fabric-to-skin contact."
Mattel launches its first autistic Barbie in the Fashionistas range to increase representation and encourage inclusive play. The doll was created with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network to represent sensory, communication and interaction differences common in autism. Features include eyes that gaze slightly to one side, fully bendable elbows and wrists to enable stimming, a pink fidget spinner, pink noise‑cancelling headphones and a pink tablet showing symbol‑based augmentative and alternative communication buttons. Clothing is a loose‑fitting purple pinstripe A‑line dress and flat purple shoes to minimise fabric‑to‑skin contact and promote stability. Autism affects more than one child in a hundred globally, per WHO.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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