Mattel announced earlier this week its first Barbie with Down Syndrome. This is yet another step taken by the company in search of representativeness on your toys.
According to the website Mirror, from the United Kingdom, the company consulted the National Society with Down Syndrome in the United States. With the consultancy, he created the design of the doll.
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Representativeness matters
This is yet another Barbie designed to promote inclusion. Over the years, the doll has been attacked for being sold with just one body type most of the time: white, blonde, blue-eyed and too skinny.
In recent years, however, the company has made efforts to release dolls with more diversity. Now, you can find Barbies with vitiligo, hearing aid and even dolls transgender on toy store shelves.
to publicize the Barbie with Down Syndrome, Mattel partnered with British model Ellie Goldstein. The 21-year-old said she was "very happy" to see a doll that, like her, is Down.
“When I saw the doll, I was so amazed. It means a lot to me and I am honored and proud that Barbie chose me to show this toy to the world,” said Ellie. “Diversity is important to me. People need to see more people as out there and not in hiding.”
Carol Boys, chief executive of the British Association of People with Down Syndrome UK endorses the choir. “We hear all the time that families don't feel their Down children are represented in the media,” she said.
The association congratulated Mattel. “Children from our community will now be able to play with dolls that represent them”, he concluded.
How much does Barbie with Down Syndrome cost?
The Barbie with Down's syndrome is part of the Fashionista Barbie collection. There are more than 175 dolls with different skin colors, body types and hair textures. Furthermore, as stated above, some role models have deficiencies or are outside the cisgender normative standard.
Barbie Down is available for purchase from this Tuesday, April 25th, and costs £13.99 in the UK market – approximately R$88 at current prices.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.