Part of what has allowed the Barbie brand to live on, despite sometimes being the subject of both ire and praise from feminists, is its ability to evolve with the times. Since launching the modern Fashionistas line, the brand has used it as an opportunity to create dolls for everyone and will include, in the 2020 line, a bald doll and a doll with vitiligo.
The news was announced Tuesday, and in addition to those two dolls, they also have the first Ken doll to have long hair, the return of their popular doll that uses a wheelchair, and a doll with a dark skin tone and a gold prosthetic limb. Some of them are out now, but more will be released in June.
According to Mashable, included in the press release for these dolls, Mattel said that “to create the doll with vitiligo, Barbie worked with a dermatologist to ensure the condition was accurately portrayed. The hairless doll helps girls who may be experiencing hair loss for any reason see themselves reflected in the line.”
I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata when I was 7 and even though I’m not currently experiencing symptoms, I’m glad to see @Barbie representing! https://t.co/oiKsnOyzQw
— KAELIN (@KISSKaelin) January 28, 2020
Heeeyy! That’s pretty sweet. I’ve had #vitiligo since I was little, and no one knew what it was. In recent years, I’ve seen high fashion models with it, and now this.. very cool. ❤️ Might have to get one for my 4 & 6 yrold #girls. ☺️#Barbie #StillCool https://t.co/ka41MfbVxc
— Marci 🎤 (@MTOnAir) January 28, 2020
Vitiligo is a skin condition where patches of the skin lose their pigment, permanently turning white. There is no cure and it carries a lot of stigma, which is what is so important about having a doll like this visible for young people. It helps normalize the condition, along with public figures like Winnie Harlow. I also hope they will come up with a Black bald doll, as well, just because forms of alopecia are common in the Black community, which has become more well known because of U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who shared that she herself has alopecia areata.
According to a Mattel spokesperson, since 2015, there have been over 170 new Barbie looks, as well as “5 body types, 22 skin tones, 76 hair styles, 94 hair colors, and 13 eye colors.” The response to this diversity has been very profitable for the company because people get excited to buy dolls like these for their children, especially if they never had a doll like that growing up.
“We are proud that Barbie is the most diverse doll line on the market that continues to evolve to better reflect the world girls see around them,” says Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and its dolls portfolio.
The Barbie brand is here to stay, and it thankfully keeps learning and transforming to include more dolls that look like the everyday woman, with a glam twist.
(via Mashable, image: Mattel)
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