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

Incredibly offensive
Reported

I mean 'neurodiverse Barbie' sounds even more ridiculous.

This thread needs taking down
It's one offensive comment after another

You do. Many don’t. Autistic people are not a homogenous group.

Mostly from just one poster though, doesn't justify nuking the whole thread.

have only read page 1.

AFAIK it was produced in coordination with organisations who have expertise in Autism?

I know that some of my (mostly adult male) friends of fb are having an absolute hissy fit about this because it isn't like them, presumably. And anyone who doesn't want one, because it doesn't match their experience of autism don't have to buy one.

My friends daughter is already keen to get one because "she flaps, mum, like me" but i'm not sure she'll be getting one because she's also a tip-toe walker which this doll doesn't do. Swings and roundabouts, surely?

I have enjoyed getting Lego minifigs with prosthetic limbs, in wheelchairs, or with cochlear implants, even though none of those things applies to me.

If it is a good business proposition, it will "have legs" otherwise not.

Well, I have never, ever been called offensive in my life before. Totally the opposite in fact. All the fellow autistics I know in real life agree that a 'Tism radar is a real thing.

I'm fully aware of that, but this is counter productive. Its no different to all the years with my son of 'he gives eye contact' ' he has a sense of humour' Therfore doesn't fit the stereotype and can't possibly be Autistic. Go back a bit further back and you've got all the Rainman comparisons.....

It's just Mattel trying to sell more dolls and attempting to look inclusive.

It's not a 'physical difference' per se, but it can have visible manifestations, as others on the thread have said.

MN Barbie hoisting up her judgy pants.

I've got mixed feelings about the Rainman thing. Savants do exist but for years it seemed to be the only form of autism that people recognised. We too had years of she does this she can't be autistic and he does that he can't be autistic.

There's already been one in a wheelchair!

Well ,as a fellow diagnosed autistic
You have massively offended me today ,and I feel very very upset by some of the comments on this thread .
I have reported every one ,and Mumsnet seem to be doing nothing about it .

There is a Kylie Jenner Bratz doll!

I'm sorry I have offended you. I did not intend to. But I simply told the truth. I cannot lie to you. This may be my rigidity of thought, but I know what I know.

I certainly don't have mixed feelings about Rainman, that film was vile and really imprinted itself into public consciousness, and had a negative impact on so many people. Even the title was used as an insult and to mock.

Because I suspect they don't give a shit about children's needs. The more specific the doll is the more people will feel the need to buy them. They have only one goal and that's profit.

I've never actually watched it, only seen excerpts.

When are they doing a trans - barbie?

You've told what you think is the truth, but we don't have to agree with you. I don't doubt you THINK you can spot autistic people - I just think you are wrong and have no idea you are wrong.

Your comments, whether you believe them or not, are very offensive.

Same. It actually brought me to tears.

I have reported them all and MN are doing nothing.

If this was race, or homophobia they would have been right on it, but ableism doesn't matter apparently.

Im actually so so upset someone could see things this way, let alone spout these views over and over with no consequence. Its all very depressing actually.

I'm ND and this is the most patronising thing I've ever seen. The wokesters have gone too far this time I'm afraid. I'm sure a ND child doesn't want a special 'ND' doll so they can be even more different to their NT friends with their NT dolls.

No, you don't have to agree with me. People are very diverse and we don't always agree with each other. One example is I prefer person with autism, dd prefers autistic, we respect each others preference and in general I think the current thinking is person first.

But this thread is about Barbie dolls and I think it shoudl return to that. Which I think is a great idea for representation. Yes of course Mattel are wanting to make a profit but it won't be that great, these things are quite niche.

An FTM Barbie would have to be called something like "Barry"

Your claim is that you have accurately been able to say whether everyone you see either does have autism (you've 'spotted' them) or doesn't (you've not spotted any signifiers so have concluded they aren't autistic) - is that correct?

I.e. no false negatives and no false positives.

And that you know your judgments are always accurate because you have access to infomation that confirms this?

That's quite a claim.