Mattel have made an autistic Barbie

[IwishIwasacaterpillar]

I find this quite odd. Autism doesn’t have a look.
my child is autistic and I would not have bought them one when they were young

Didn't they do this a long time ago (the first one, anyway)?
Some parents don't like the fact that there is just one representation of ASD. That said, some people don't like that term.
Others think anything that promotes diversity is good, although it's important to discuss the fact that not everyone with ASD will stim/wear ear defenders etc.

My biggest issue is that she doesn’t have articulated legs and ankles.

Autism isn’t a social trend that’s ableist and hugely offensive.

Some of the comments on this thread are disgusting, mumsnet should take it down.

I hope that any genuinely offensive comments are deleted, but if they were to take the thread down, that would be to enable people who want to shut down any critical discussion of the ways in which the category of autism has been over-expanded and misused.

I’m just not sure about this. Autistic Barbie could look like any of the Barbies. Look at Christine McGuinness - she literally looks like a Barbie.

It is worth noting that autistic Barbie is not white

Seriously? She isn’t blond and blue eyed, but she is pretty nondescript in terms of ethnicity.

I think it's very obvious she isn't meant to be white.

Does that matter?

Well, yes, it seems a bit jumping on a bandwagon .

Yes, I think it matters in terms of representation. Especially as females of non white origin are the demographic that struggle most in terms of getting proper diagnoses etc.

The doll was modelled on one of Mattel's Indian employees.

That OT should be struck off.

For making a valid observation?

its not a valid observation. Its not a trait of autism to have a 'look'. Any health professional working in this field worth their salt would ever say such a thing.

Just becsuse you have not/are unable to observe it doesn’t mean that others cannot.

Not you again!

Ugh.

I’ve been on mumsnet for 24 years. I’m not going anywhere.

I believe you.
You seem to enjoy upsetting people - fellow autistics too.

You will no doubt get a kick out of this but Im leaving the thread - again - because of you. I wont be back.
And I don't believe for one minute that you have never been accused of being offensive.

I do not enjoy upsetting people. The opposite in fact. But I won’t say things I don’t believe are true just to make someone else feel better.

im often described as being incredibly kind. Not my label, other peoples. Im known for it apparently.

my daughter told me to read up on the dual empathy theory. It was very interesting.

You've been told you are offending and upsetting people - why do you keep on doing it? Please stop. Also, you are incorrect, so you are both offensive, unkind, and wrong

Because we are not incorrect