Mattel’s Autistic Barbie Looks Like My Daughter
I’m probably going to get in trouble with that title and be deemed problematic but that’s nothing new at this point and it would actually prove my point once you read the rest of this post, unless of course I already turned you away from the title. Well, here it goes….
Mattel released Autistic Barbie this week and I was telling my daughter Emma that it kinda looks like her. Skintone, long straight hair, wearing a purple(Emma’s favorite color) dress, holding a fidget spinner, a noise-canceling headphone(ear defenders), with an AAC tablet.
Barbie and ASAN (Autistic Self-Advocacy Network) are proud to partner on the first-ever autistic Barbie, designed with connection and understanding at the core.
Developed closely with ASAN, the doll reflects some experiences that people on the autism spectrum may relate to, with features including:
👋 Elbow and wrist articulation, enabling stimming and other hand gestures to process sensory information
👁️ A shifted gaze, reflecting how some members of the community may avoid direct eye contact
✨ A fidget spinner, offering a sensory outlet that can help reduce stress and improve focus
🎧 Noise-cancelling headphones that reduce sensory overload
🖊️ An AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) tablet, as a communication tool
💜 Sensory-sensitive fashions, minimizing fabric-to-skin contact
As part of the Barbie Fashionistas collection, this doll invites more children to see themselves represented in Barbie, and helps us all understand the many ways we each can experience the world. (SOURCE)
While Emma had Selective Mutism until she started High School she never needed an AAC tablet as a tool to communicate at home. She spoke at home and at school her teachers provided visual mediums. Emma either pointed at words or wrote them.
Immediately, the discourse online just further validated my personal reasons of why I never joined Autism groups on Facebook. I follow a few Autism pages. I 👍❤️ and nod privately and sometimes show my husband when I see things that we could relate to.
Always and it never fails the comments go;
“She doesn’t represent me” or “my child”
“This is stereotypical”
“Don’t use that label and that term and that label….”
“Don’t use the puzzle… use the rainbow(or is it the infinity sign? 😩🤷♀️) instead.” 🧩🌈♾️ (I just use all of them… 🥹)
“Don’t use the blue heart” 💙
And then all the AI doll versions started popping up on social media platforms. By the way, AI aside, it’s COOL. It’s OK!
Once again, THIS is why we can’t have nice things! We can’t just be happy that some girls might be happy with this new doll. Emma would prefer to wear a 💜 purple sweater over a Powerpuff Girls T-shirt, Jeans, and sneakers. She’d wear a dress to Church and special occasions. But it’s ok that this Autistic Barbie is wearing a dress. That there are markers that represent some in the spectrum. Why does it have to be one encompassing trait? Can’t some of us just enjoy it? 😟 Why must everything have to be a battle? We’re already exhausted and stressed out as it is, can we all just CHILL?
By the way, her long straight hair is important here because if you know Emma and have noticed her photos throughout the years, it stays straight and sometimes braided. Sensory Issues. Brushing her hair alone is a task but it needs to be brushed. Can’t style it any other way or the neighbors will hear screaming and call the cops. “Sorry Mr. Officer, I was just brushing her hair.” 😱 I braid it so it doesn’t get tangled throughout the day.
Well Dexie, you can always cut her hair short. Well maybe I like her hair long and maybe I know
my Mama(in heaven) liked my hair long when I was little. Or maybe just mindyourown…. 🤷♀️
If I sound defensive and in my 26500 version of passive-aggresiveness that’s because I’m so TIRED from all the discourse. No one is ever happy. 2 or 3 things can be true at the same time but not online, HAH! Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 😩😪😴 I need a nap.
Anyhooo, I like this new doll. Maybe I’ll get one for Emma sometime even if she actually doesn’t like dolls but it’s a nice addition to the collectibles that she inherited from me. And, she thought this one looks cool! 😎😍
Thank you, Mattel and Barbie! ❤️❤️
