As part of its attempt to be more inclusive, Mattel introduced a new doll to resemble a child with Down syndrome.
The doll has distinctive features, including a rounder face, smaller ears, a flat nasal bridge and eyes that are slightly slanted and almond-shaped. They also gave the doll a single line on her palm, another trait often associated with Down syndrome.
A medical professional reviewed the doll’s physical features to make sure they were correct.
As part of the Barbie Fashionistas line, which aims to offer kids more diverse representations of beauty and fight the stigma around physical disabilities, the Down Barbie is joined by a doll with a wheelchair, one with a prosthetic leg, one with hearing aids, and a doll with the skin condition vitiligo, which causes patches of skin to lose their pigment.
How wonderful!
