Barbie is capable of everything, including taking home an Olympic gold medal and piloting a space shuttle. Since her founding in 1959, she has inspired children to have large dreams, taught them empathy, and served as a positive role model for them. With its range of varied dolls, including the first Barbie to ever have hearing aids behind her ears, the Barbie 2022 Fashionistas line has now released in an effort to help even more children feel included, special, and represented.
What Kind Of Diversity We Will See In Barbie Fashionista 2022?
 Barbie’s representation of real people will expanded with the 2022 Fashionistas line of dolls. The line will also feature the first Ken doll with vitiligo, a skin condition that causes a gradual loss of skin color, in addition to a doll with hearing loss. A Barbie in 2020, which had vitiligo and was among the top five Fashionistas best sellers in the United States. In addition, there will be more Barbie and Ken dolls with a variety of body types, hairstyles, and clothing options. There will also be a Barbie with a prosthetic leg.
What Is The Point Of View Of Executive Vice President And Head Of Barbie & Dolls On Introducing Diversity?
According to Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and head of Barbie & Dolls at Mattel:
Barbie firmly believes in the need of representation being the most diverse doll line available. We dedicated to continuing to release dolls with a variety of skin tones, body shapes, and impairments to reflect the diversity that children observe in their environment.
An Educational Audiologists Has Collaborated At Mattel:
To assure accuracy in the hearing aids in the Fashionistas series, Mattel collaborated with renowned educational audiologist Jen Richardson, AuD, who has more than 18 years of experience in hearing loss advocacy. Dr. Richardson stated, “I’m thrilled to have collaborated with Barbie to develop an authentic reflection of a doll with behind-the-ear hearing aids. Dr. Richardson continued, “Seeing people with hearing loss reflected in a doll is inspiring.” I’m overjoyed for my young patients to interact with a doll that resembles them and play with it.
What Kind Of Dolls The Brand Have Been Releasing Throughout The Years?
In reaction to the criticism Barbie has received over the years for her unrealistic body type, the brand released a new curvaceous doll in 2016. Additionally, two of the top five selling Barbie dolls worldwide in 2021 released by Mattel : a Black doll with an afro hairstyle and a Barbie in a wheelchair.
It’s wonderful for parents to see these more diverse dolls, particularly in light of a 2019 study that supported the notion that young girls compare their bodies to Barbie. When playing with the dolls, which may have an impact on how they develop their body image. Therefore, in order to “represent a multi-dimensional sense of beauty,Barbie has had over 175 different appearances throughout her history. These include a range of skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and, of course, clothing. Toys shouldn’t look the same since people don’t.
