Los Angeles:
Barbie has launched its first doll with Down syndrome to make its range more diverse.
CNN reported that the new doll is part of Mattel's Barbie Fashionistas line, which aims to provide children with more diverse representations of beauty and fight the stigma surrounding physical disabilities.
For the latest Barbie doll, Mattel (MAT) said it worked closely with the National Down Syndrome Society on the doll's size, features, clothing, accessories and packaging to ensure it was an accurate representation of a person with Down syndrome. represents.
The genetic condition affects cognitive ability, causing mild to severe learning disabilities and distinctive facial features.
"This means a lot to our community, who for the first time can play with a Barbie doll that looks like herself," Kandi Pickard, NDSS President and CEO, said in a statement. The power of representation should never be underestimated. This is a huge step towards inclusion and a moment we are celebrating."
The dolls are dressed in patterns and symbols associated with the Down syndrome community and the orthotic sneakers sometimes worn by people with the disorder.
This version of the Barbie doll has won praise from netizens.
"This is so cute of Mattel and Barbie," wrote one social media user.
Another wrote, "It's good they are trying to be inclusive."
For decades after her debut in 1959, the Barbie doll remained light-skinned—white, thin, and blonde, with an extremely narrow waist, ample breasts, and impossibly high heels always toting on.
Finally, in 2016, as the doll faced a slump in sales, Mattel created a more realistic portrayal of Barbie by making the new dolls more inclusive and diverse in their appearance.
Barbie was reintroduced in four body types and seven skin tones, with 22 eye colors and 24 hairstyles.