in #CASE you missed it… New Barbies Comes w/Prosthetic Leg And Wheelchair
Way to go Barbie for expanding the collection to be more inclusive.
When the original Barbie dolls first came out way back in 1959 they were all blonde, tall, thin white women, but times have changed. Now there are Barbie dolls in a range of shapes, sizes, colors, and careers so all of the kids who play with them feel represented and to encourage them to follow their dreams of what they want to be when they grow up. And now there are two new Barbies that also promote inclusivity, one comes with a prosthetic leg and another comes in a wheelchair.
The new additions are part of Barbie’s Fashionista line and they give kids with disabilities like these the chance to feel represented by the iconic dolls. The Barbie with the prosthetic leg is actually the result of a collaboration with 13-year-old Jordan Reeves, who founded the nonprofit Born Just Right, which works to “find creative solutions that help kids with disabilities live a more enjoyable life.” In a Ted Talk, she shared her struggle to find dolls that represented her and when Mattel, maker of Barbie, heard about it, they reached out to team up with her on this project.
The Fashionista line includes many of the newer Barbies of different races and body types and that kind of diversity is important. Having dolls in a range of sizes and colors is more realistic and gives more kids the chance to play with a toy that looks like them, which research shows helps them become more compassionate and empathetic. The new Barbie in a wheelchair and with a prosthetic leg will be out sometime later this year.