After 18 months of collaborating with Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization run by and for autistic people fighting for disability rights, Barbie released its first-ever autistic doll, which stands alongside the other dolls of the Barbie Fashionistas collection.
“Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we’re proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work,” said Jamie Cygielman, the Global Head of Dolls at Mattel, in the Mattel press release. “The doll, designed with guidance from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, helps to expand what inclusion looks like in the toy aisle and beyond because every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie.”
The doll wears a loose lavender dress to minimize fabric-to-skin contact with vertical white stripes, paired with purple strappy flats. She has noise-canceling headphones to reduce sensory overload and a pink fidget spinner to help relieve stress and improve focus. An augmentative and alternative communication tablet is used as a communication tool.
Her elbow and wrist have flexible joints to allow stimming and other hand gestures to process sensory information. The doll has a shifted gaze reflecting how some with autism may avoid direct eye contact.
This new edition is also a doll of color, representing children of color with autism who society often overlooks. ASAN employees in India inspired her facial features, highlighting the importance of diverse representation. According to Noor Pervez in News6, the doll must reflect an underrepresented segment of the autistic community.
“Autistic women and autistics of color are underdiagnosed, so we made this doll a part of both of those communities too,” ASAN said in an announcement post.
Barbie also teamed up with advocates for the autistic community. This includes the autistic mother-daughter duo Precious and Mikko Mirage. It also features “Love on the Spectrum” star Madison Marilla and Aarushi Pratap, an autistic fashion designer.
The Barbie team also made a video with the advocates. The video captures their story and experiences, while showing their reactions to seeing the doll for the first time.
On social media, the Lewis family shared a TikTok featuring their daughter “Purple Presley,” an autistic teen with a passion for purple, who was thrilled to receive a custom purple package of the doll and other toys designed to support her sensory needs.
Although this doll brings awareness to autism, it does not capture every autistic experience. Autism is a spectrum, and individuals differ widely in communication styles, sensory needs, and behaviors. Rather than serving as a definitive portrayal, the doll highlights a few commonly shared experiences to increase visibility and understanding.
Working directly with ASAN allowed Barbie to prioritize authenticity and lived experience rather than a singular definition of autism.
“While one doll won’t be able to represent every way an autistic person can be, we wanted to share some of them!” said ASAN.
Looking to expand your Barbie collection? You can find her at Walmart, Target, and Amazon!
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