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

Lego created an autistic Friends figure, and it was barely mentioned anywhere. Lego just gave the figure ear defenders, and a sunflower lanyard. That figure, like the Barbie doll, looks nothing like my child, but it was still great to have some form of representation

I’m just glad there isn’t a Kardashian Barbie with a huge arse, massive boobs and puffed up lips.

I'll wait for the ADHD one then 🤣🤣🤣🤣 3 chaos piles around her, 5 started then forgotten hobbie stuff that she comes with and 5 fidget spinners plus loops.

Normal Barbies are of course famous for their lack of balance issues. I wouldn't be surprised if a flat-footed one actually stands up better!

and the wheelchair Barbie has may not look the same as the wheelchair a child has or a child may have a cochlear implant as opposed to a traditional hearing aid that barbie has.

That was the Bratz Dolls 🤣

Shame they didn't do what a certain model of action man did and have eyes that you can swivel with a lever at the back of the head. I used to love setting him up in awkward poses giving side eye to the other toys.

Why the eye roll though. If it's something that another child somewhere can identify with the why is it a bad thing.

Not gonna get mad about it as it's not for me and they did a ton of research to identify that there's a welcome market before tooling a production line up with a new mould - she has flat feet and moveable joints to facilitate stimming. It's more than just accessories

(All Barbies should have flat feet - who wears heels in this day of our Lord?!)

I think the side-gaze is fine actually - we’ve been around SEN families for a decade, DC goes to a specialist school, you can definitely recognise some kids with complex needs when they are regulated and calm. My DC doesn’t use a fidget spinner nor does he avoid eye contact, but he does use ear defenders. It sounds like Mattel are trying to capture a range of sensory traits. Kids can use the bits that are meaningful to them. Mattel can make more money.

My daughter definitely does have a “look” she was diagnosed at 2 though and people absolutely can tell by looking at her, I was asked by strangers before she was diagnosed if she was autistic even as a young child. I realise that’s unusual as most autistic girls mask or fit in but she never has been able to and having spoken to people they’ve always told me they can tell by looking at her or when I tell people she is autistic they will say they could tell 🤷‍♀️so this doll is great and I will be buying it as soon as I can, she will love it!

I think they are rather overplaying the off-centre eye contact feature. It looks like any other doll. But the fidget spinner is pink, so they’ve not given up on gender stereotypes (which many autistic girls do not embrace!)

There is a charity that gives bears to babies/children who undergo stoma surgery in hospital across the UK. . The bears have stoma bags attached to mimic whatever type the child has. My daughter was very lucky to be a recipient.

I thought I’d hate this but clicking on the link they’ve done it so well. I think the eyeline is perfect.

Of course it doesn’t reflect every autistic person (DD prefers tight clothes for example) but representation is important and it’s been done thoughtfully.

There is a wheelchair Barbie

Representation isn't about seeing yourself represented perfectly. I am a white straight presenting able bodied women who has been "represented" by the original Barbie my whole life. Does that mean I'm a size 8 blonde with a tiny waist and a tan? I wish. But it is representative of me and my demographic.

I agree it's a bit heavy handed but any representation is better than none surely? If even some children identify with it and feel better isn't that a good thing?

DC is responds best to visual communication - if he was into Barbies I would probably get one to use the accessories to role play, make social stories, encourage him to use his was defenders etc.

I saw a brand new Christmas Barbie in a charity shop last week. I can’t begin to explain how much I wanted it for DD/myself even though I’m opposed to them for their unrealistic figures. 😂

Still a micro mini dress. Whatever her condition, a girl still has to be sexy 🙄

My autistic DD wears long baggy clothes and doesn't have ear defenders or a fidget spinner. But as per PPs autistic people don't all look the same.

That's really pissed me off actually. Not all autistic children have a look. and not all of them avoid eye contact or use ear defenders. How fucking offensive.

The doll's eyes gaze slightly to one side.......

Sindy and Tressie were decades ahead of their time then.

No but many do ,it would be impossible to represent everyone on the spectrum.

I’m the parent of an autistic son and daughter - and am AuDHD myself. My DD is obviously/overtly ASD to anyone who meets or observes her but only because of her awkward gait, strange dress-sense, lack of eye contact - ie behaviours and mannerisms, not be cause she ‘has a look’. No one looks a DS and I - or even photos of my DD - and think, yeah definitely autistic.

I’m autistic. One if my children is.
I like the idea of the barbie. Yes, autism doesn’t have a look. But nobody looks lime barbie anyway.
acknowledging that autism exists, and is normal in a barbie line up is nice.

Same.

The thing i find most odd is the desire (altruistic, or cynical marketing dependent on view) to have a full set of diversity in their doll range.

And yet still to produce a doll that's anatomically ridiculous.

Where's normal-size-foot barbie? Or big-boned barbie? Or even post-pubescent barbie for that matter...