The American firm Mattel has announced the incorporation of two new Barbie dolls to its catalog: one Barbie in a wheelchair and another with a prosthetic leg. This aims to encourage the inclusion of people with disabilities, while making children see that there are many forms of beauty in society.
The company has worked with a girl with a disability and with experts from UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital to achieve a realistic design of her dolls, and take into account all aspects surrounding the disability.
Attending to customer demands
Kim Culmone, the vice president of Design of Barbie de Mattel has stated that for many years customers had been demanding a wheelchair doll that will help children understand disability, and those with mobility problems may feel identified.
"This year, our Barbie line will include dolls that reflect physical disabilities to better represent the people and the world that children see around them. We are committed to diversity and inclusion, and we are proud that today's children know a different image and experience of the brand "- said the vice president.
In Babies and moreThe dolls with vitiligo that show children beauty in any skin typeIn 1997, the company already launched a doll of similar characteristics, but it wasn't Barbie but a friend named Becky. In addition, the accessories of that time were not adapted so that Becky could use them, so despite its success, the doll lasted a short time in the catalog.
Now, Mattel has wanted to do things very differently, and for reflect the situation of persons with disabilities as realistically as possible He has had the help of expert advisors.
- On the one hand, a 13-year-old girl with a prosthetic arm called Jordan Reeves has advised them on the design of one of the dolls and has given them details about how prosthetic limbs should be to be more realistic.
"Jordan He recommended that the Barbie prosthesis be removable to give it more realism. And that is something we probably would not have taken into account if we had not been advised by someone living this reality "- explained Kim Culmone.
- On the other hand, for create a wheelchair that can adapt to any of the Barbie dolls and be true to reality, Mattel experts have worked side by side with Ucla Mattel Children's. There, in addition, they have been advised on the solutions that they must take into account to facilitate their mobility through the "Barbie world", so the chair will have an access ramp.
The new range of dolls will be available for purchase in the fall of this year, and will be included within the Barbie Fashionista line.
Barbie wants to reflect all the women in society
The Barbie doll was born in 1959, and although it quickly became one of the children's favorite toys, the truth is that It represented a very unrealistic image of the woman's body.
His very narrow waist and thin silhouette began to be criticized, so Mattel decided to incorporate new designs to his much more representative range of women today.Now, the Barbies have different skin and hair tones, are thin or curvy, high or low, with more or less chest ... In short, the company has said goodbye to stereotypes incorporating more than 100 new looks so that any girl can feel identified.
Through advertising campaigns, Barbie has always encouraged girls to be what they wanted, but recently has taken another step with the creation of a range of scientific dolls, astronauts, athletes, doctors ... to play without limits and without gender roles.
In Babies and more, Barbie pays homage to female icons on International Women's Day Now, with the new Barbies with disabilities, Mattel continues to adapt to the times and reality of our society. Bravo!
