Mattel adds an autistic Barbie to doll line devoted to showcasing diversity and inclusion

"The goal: to create a Barbie that reflected some of the ways autistic people may experience and process the world around them, according to a Mattel news release. That was a challenge because autism encompasses a broad range of behaviors and difficulties that vary widely in degree, and many of the traits associated with the disorder are not immediately visible, according to Noor Pervez, who is the Autistic Self Advocacy Network's community engagement manager and worked closely with Mattel on the Barbie prototype."

"Like many disabilities, autism doesn't look any one way, Pervez said. But we can try and show some of the ways that autism expresses itself. For example, the eyes of the new Barbie shift slightly to the side to represent how some people with autism sometimes avoid direct eye contact, he said. The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel."

"The development team debated whether to dress the doll in a tight or a loose-fitting outfit, Pervez said. Some autistic people wear loose clothes because they are sensitive to the feel of fabric seams, while others wear figure-hugging garments to give them a sense of where their bodies are, he said. The team ended up choosing an A-line dress with short sleeves"

Mattel introduced an autistic Barbie developed over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. The doll aims to reflect ways autistic people experience and process the world, acknowledging the broad autism spectrum and many nonvisible traits. Design choices include eyes that shift slightly to the side to represent occasional avoidance of direct eye contact and articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other sensory gestures. The team debated tight versus loose clothing and selected an A-line dress with short sleeves. Other inclusive models include Barbies with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, and Barbies with vitiligo.

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