A blind Barbie doll and Black Barbie doll with Down syndrome have just hit the shelves as part of Mattel's efforts to make the iconic doll more reflective of the world's diversity.
Blind Barbie features a red and white cane, sunglasses for eye protection and an eye gaze that faces "slightly up and out," which is characteristic of some blind individuals. Her satiny pink blouse and textured ruffle skirt were designed to provide tactile interest, and the top comes with high-contrast, brightly colored hooks to make swapping outfits easier for those who are visually impaired. The packaging has "Barbie" written in Braille.
Barbie partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind to design the doll.
"When I was growing up I would have only dreamed for this moment to come,” doll ambassador and disability activist Lucy Edwards posted on her Instagram story Tuesday. “To be accepted so much that the most popular doll in the world now has a visual impairment and looks like me. I still can’t believe I’m typing this but blind Barbie is here.”
Edwards, who lost all eyesight when she was 17, cried when she found out she was blind Barbie's ambassador, she said in an interview with BBC. In a post on X, she said she would have loved to play with blind Barbie when she was growing up.
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"My 7 year old has been longing for a blind/low vision Barbie," user @_its_me_andi commented on Barbie's Instagram post. "Representation matters and she is going to be thrilled. Can't wait to get one in her hands!!!"
"I am 43 and I was born blind," Instagram user @mama.blue.bird said in another comment. "I played with and loved Barbie my whole childhood. This made me cry so deep!! Thank you Barbie, from the deepest part of my heart and soul."
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Approximately 6 million Americans have vision loss and 1 million have blindness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Building on the first Barbie with Down syndrome that was released in 2023, Mattel also created a Black Barbie with Down syndrome in partnership with the National Down Syndrome Society.
Like the 2023 doll, this Barbie features characteristics often associated with those with Down syndrome. She has a rounder face, smaller ears and a flat nasal bridge, as well as a shorter frame, longer torso and a single line on her palm.
However, this new doll also has a braided hair texture, a key feature the Black Down syndrome community asked for. The Barbie's dress is also blue and yellow, colors which represent Down syndrome awareness, and the three arrows in some of the heart patterns symbolize the third 21st chromosome those with Down syndrome have. The pink glasses represent individuals with Down syndrome who often experience difficulties with their vision.
A focus group of Black individuals with Down syndrome helped inform Barbie's design choices in making the new doll.
National Down Syndrome Society President and CEO Kandi Pickard said the doll marked "another important step in expanding representation for the disability community" in a statement released Monday.
Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition in the United States.
"We recognize that Barbie is much more than just a doll," Barbie Senior Vice President Krista Berger said in Mattel's statement. "She represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging."
The two dolls join the Barbie Fashionistas line, Mattel's most diverse doll series that includes Barbies with vitiligo, prosthetic limbs and hearing aids. They are currently selling online and at major retailers for $10.99.
