OARacle Newsletter

Mattel introduced a new Barbie, who is autistic and reflects some common features of autism, in January. In development for more than 18 months in partnership with ASAN, this doll joins the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which features a diverse range of skin tones, hair textures, body types, and various medical conditions and disabilities.    

In its announcement welcoming the new doll, ASAN wrote that it hopes “she shows all kids that autistic people are a valuable part of our communities. During our meetings with Mattel, we talked about how there are many ways that autistic people express ourselves—autism doesn’t have just one look. While one doll won’t be able to represent every way an autistic person can be, we wanted to share some of them! We think it’s especially important for kids to see some of themselves in these dolls.”  

The statement also noted that autistic women and autistics of color are often under-diagnosed so they made “this doll a part of both of those communities too!” 

Mattel also enlisted autistic advocates, including mother and daughter Precious and Mikko Mirage; autism advocate and creative entrepreneur Madison Marilla; and autistic fashion designer and visual artist Aarushi Pratap, to celebrate their lived experiences and lifestyles.  

“My good friend said these words to me, let yourself out and don’t hold yourself in, and it taught me how to educate people about autism. This autistic Barbie makes me feel truly seen and heard. I hope all the kids I’ve mentored feel the same when they see her, and I hope people who aren’t autistic feel educated and gain a better understanding of autism when they see this doll,” Marilla said.   

Working with ASAN staff, the design team created features and accessories that reflect what some autistic people experience, including: 

• Body: This Barbie features elbow and wrist articulation, enabling stimming, hand flapping, and other hand gestures. 

• Eye gaze: Her eye gaze is shifted slightly to the side, recognition of how some autistic people avoid direct eye contact.  

• Sensory sensitivity: The doll wears a loose-fitting, purple pinstripe A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact. Purple shoes complete the outfit, with flat soles to promote stability and ease of movement. 

• Accessories: Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones and a tablet that shows symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication apps (AAC) on its screen.  

In an article on The Conversation website, two academicians reviewed each of Barbie’s features, commenting on how well they represent the autistic community. Overall, they praised the work Mattel put into designing the doll, with guidance from ASAN. They noted that her sideways glance does reflect the discomfort some autistic people feel with direct eye contact and that the designers could have added colored glasses, which help reduce pain in response to light, movement, and colors. They also noted that, while her clothing did reflect many autistics need for loose, comfortable clothing, autistic people have a wide range of clothing preferences, including those who are gender non-conforming. They concluded that Barbie’s “existence is an overall positive. Her inclusion creates a much-needed opportunity for representation, education and normalizes the use of disability accommodations.” 

An ABC News reporter reached out to autism experts and advocacy groups for their reaction to to autistic Barbie. Eileen Lamb, a senior director of marketing and social media strategy at Autism Speaks, noted that, as a mother to two autistic children and someone who was diagnosed as an adult, “seeing a doll like this feels like an important building block toward better understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of autistic people, starting in childhood and continuing throughout life.” 

Geraldine Dawson, founding director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development and William Cleland Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine, for example, said that the doll helps autistic kids who often feel excluded can offer inclusion. “This can play an important role in developing a positive sense of identity and self-esteem. For kids on the spectrum, this is especially important because it can buffer them from developing mental health problems, such as depression, which are common among autistic kids.” 

“When neurodivergent experiences and support tools show up in everyday play, it can help reduce stigma and make space for empathy and understanding for autistic kids and non-autistic kids alike,” wrote Brenda Dater, executive director of the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity. “We see this as one step in an ongoing evolution of authentic representation. What’s most important is continuing to listen to autistic voices and recognizing that representation should reflect the full humanity and diversity of the world children are a part of.”

Sherri Alms is the freelance editor of The OARacle, a role she took on in 2007. She has been a freelance writer and editor for more than 20 years.