First autistic Barbie: "This doll's making me feel sane and heard"

From being a rare diagnosis, autism has become acknowledged as a common neurodevelopmental condition: an estimated 75 million people - 1% of the world’s population - have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Boys are three times more likely to be affected than girls. According to Google AI Overview, "Autism rates have dramatically increased over the last 50 years, from 2-4 per 10,000 people in the 1960s/70s to around 1 in 36 children in the U.S.". Various reasons are given for the steep increase in diagnoses, including better awareness and autism's categorisation as a spectrum disorder. Launched in 1959 as the first doll with adult roles and personas, Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for over six decades, taking on various iterations to reflect and keep pace with societal trends. Its parent company Mattel has now launched its first autistic Barbie, which it introduces here: "In partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the new autistic Barbie doll was designed with thoughtful care and deep insight - recognizing that this doll represents how individuals on the autism spectrum may experience, process and express the world around them, and that every experience is unique. Barbie is teaming up with advocates for the autistic community, including mother-daughter duo Precious and Mikko Mirage, autism advocate and creative entrepreneur Madison Marilla and autistic fashion designer and visual artist Aarushi Pratap, to celebrate their lived experiences and lifestyles. The intentional design choices include a new face sculpt with a gentle side gaze, articulated elbows and wrists for natural hand movements, and a sensory-sensitive dress. Her soft pinstripe outfit, flat shoes, and low-contrast colors were created for comfort, while accessories include noise-canceling headphones, a spinning finger-clip fidget, and a symbol-based AAC tablet to represent real tools used for sensory regulation and communication. This doll invites more children to see themselves in Barbie and serves as a joyful reminder that every way of experiencing the world is unique and that every child’s potential is limitless". Interestingly, one of Barbie's most notable adjustments in appearance came in 1971 when "the doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than having the demure sideways glance of the original model" (Wikipedia). What do you think of the ad - does it do a good job of reflecting the nuances of this new Barbie?

Keywords: First Autistic Barbie Doll, Mattel autistic Barbie, children's toys, autistic children's play, autism toys