Mattel launches blind Barbie with Braille and tactile features
Thousands of girls have been waiting for this kind of doll. Mattel has produced a blind Barbie, which comes with a characteristic cane. The new toy has been approved by a blind influencer who shares the challenges of living with a disability on social media.
7:39 PM EDT, July 23, 2024
The iconic status of Barbie dolls is hard to dispute. Most adult women, teenagers, and girls had at least one doll with unattainably long legs and a slim waist in their toy box. Many people criticize the maker of Barbie for creating unrealistic beauty standards, which can develop insecurities among young, impressionable girls. However, Mattel seems to listen to these critical opinions and concludes them. Barbie makers are creating more and more dolls that deviate from the standard in terms of skin color, appearance, height, or illnesses they may suffer from.
Mattel created a blind Barbie
The new Barbie produced by Mattel was created in collaboration with the American Foundation for the Blind. During the creative process, it was decided that the doll should be dressed in clothes with distinct textures, including a pink satin shirt and a violet tulle skirt. This allows children to imagine the appearance of the toy when playing with it based on touch. Barbie's clothes are easy to remove, thanks to Velcro and an elastic band. The toy packaging features writing in Braille so that everyone can read information about the doll.
The face of the new Barbie campaign is Lucy Edwards, an influencer and activist for the blind. Describing the doll, she said that it "means everything to her." Edwards added: "As a teenager, I felt isolated because of my blindness and the lack of role models like me. I was ashamed of my cane, but knowing that Barbie has a cane, I would have felt differently about mine. It would have helped me feel less alone in my journey to accept and embrace my blindness."
Organizations for the blind support the new Barbie
Debbie Miller, Director of Client Advice and Support at the charity organization Royal National Institute of Blind People, spoke to "The Guardian" regarding the new Barbie doll: "Barbie is all about joy—about discovering and understanding the world through play—and it's wonderful to think that children with visual impairments can now play with a Barbie doll that looks like them. We are very pleased with the details that have been incorporated into the design of this new Barbie, such as the tactile clothes, the cane, and the sunglasses. This recognition that not everyone sees well means a lot to the blind and visually impaired community. This is a positive step forward in helping children and adults with vision loss feel that they belong and are acknowledged."
