Mattel launches blind Barbie to promote inclusivity and awareness

Thousands of girls have been waiting for this kind of doll. Mattel has produced a blind Barbie, which comes with a distinctive cane. The new toy has been endorsed by a blind influencer who shares the challenges of living with a disability on social media.

The iconic status of Barbie dolls is hard to dispute. Most adult women, teenagers, and girls had at least one doll with unattainably long legs and a slim waist in their toy box. Although many people criticise the maker of Barbie for creating unrealistic beauty standards that can lead to insecurities among young, impressionable girls, Mattel seems to listen to these criticisms and concludes them. Barbie makers are creating more and more dolls that deviate from the standard due to their skin colour, appearance, height, or illness they suffer from.

The new Barbie produced by Mattel was created in collaboration with the American Foundation for the Blind. During the creative process, it was decided that the doll should be dressed in clothes with distinct textures, including a pink satin shirt and a violet tulle skirt. This allows children to imagine the appearance of the toy when playing with it based on touch. Barbie's clothes are easy to remove, thanks to Velcro and an elastic band. The toy packaging features writing in Braille so that everyone can read information about the doll.

The face of the new Barbie campaign is Lucy Edwards, an influencer and activist for the blind. Describing the doll, she said it "means everything to her." Edwards added: "As a teenager, I felt isolated because of my blindness and the lack of role models like me. I was ashamed of my cane - but knowing that Barbie has a cane, I would have felt differently about mine, and it would have helped me feel less alone in my journey to accept and embrace my blindness."

Debbie Miller, Director of Client Advice and Support at the charity organisation Royal National Institute of Blind People, spoke to "The Guardian" regarding the new Barbie doll:

"Barbie is all about joy – about discovering and understanding the world through play – and it’s wonderful to think that children with a vision impairment can now play with a Barbie that looks like them. We’re so pleased with the details that have gone into designing this new Barbie – the tactile clothes as well as the cane and the sunglasses. It’s an acknowledgment that not everyone can see well, which means a lot to the blind and partially sighted community. This is a positive step forward in helping children and adults with sight loss feel like they belong and are recognised."