Mattel is on a mission to appeal to all of their audiences.
Barbie usually carries the role of inspiring young girls to achieve anything they want, like being a gymnast or astronaut. This time the iconic line has made the decision to launch dolls that represent those who are overcoming physical disabilities. The idea is part of the 2019 Barbie Fashionista line.
The company teamed up with UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital to design wheelchairs which compliment the latest wheelchair ramps added to Barbie dreamhouses. Meanwhile, 13-year-old Jordan Reeve, a disability activist, helped create the dolls with detachable limbs. The collection is appropriately labeled, “Made to Move.”
Mattel stated, “As a brand, we can elevate the conversation around physical disabilities by including them into our fashion doll line to further showcase a multi-dimensional view of beauty and fashion.”
The goal is to remove the stigmas that come with having a disability. This is a way of proving that there’s nothing wrong with someone who appears physically different.
Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network, Curt Decker, added how gratifying it is that, “A big icon of society like Barbie now demonstrates or shows that there are different types of people … [who] can be attractive and something kids want to play with.”
Grab your Barbie this fall!
