I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: normalizing inclusion of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and walks of life for kids is extremely important, especially when they’re very young.
That’s why it’s so commendable that Mattel has launched a new line of Barbies – it’s “most diverse doll line” yet, covering a broad spectrum of different body types, hair types, skin types, and disabilities. The new line includes several dolls of color, a doll with the skin condition vitiligo, a hairless doll, and a doll with a prosthetic limb.
The Barbie Fashionistas line of dolls now has 176 dolls with 35 skin tones, 94 different hairstyles, and 8 body types. I’d say they’ve come a long, wouldn’t you? Mattel said the Fashionistas line is “designed to reflect the world girls see today.”
A spokesperson for Mattel said, “For 2020, Barbie is continuing the journey to represent global diversity and inclusivity in the fashion doll aisle by showcasing a multi-dimensional view of beauty and fashion.”
Heck, even Ken has long hair now!
In order to design the doll with the skin condition vitiligo, Mattel worked with a dermatologist to make sure the condition was depicted in an accurate manner. A Mattel spokesperson said, “As we continue to redefine what it means to be a ‘Barbie’ or look like Barbie, offering a doll with vitiligo in our main doll line allows kids to play out even more stories they see in the world around them.”
These dolls are great – keep them coming, Mattel!
And keep expanding your Fashionista line to include more and more people of all kinds because kids who can now see dolls that look like them really appreciate it.
