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Autism Barbie
Photo: Mattel
Autism barbie doll: Mattel launches first autistic doll but National Autistic Society offers word of caution
By Jamie Jones
Editor
After Mattel launched their first autistic Barbie doll the National Autistic Society has offered a word of caution.
The launch of Mattel’s first autistic Barbie has been welcomed by campaigners and charities but one group has also offered a word of caution. While the doll has been described as a step towards more “authentic, joyful” representation for neurodivergent children, the National Autistic Society said it is important to remember “autistic people can be very different to each other”.
Creators of the toy said it “invites more children to see themselves represented in Barbie”. The finished product was created with input from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) in an effort to hear first-hand from the autistic community on the kinds of features the doll should have.
The network described the doll as a “milestone” in representation and said it was “thrilled” to help with the design, adding: “It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that’s exactly what this doll is.”
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“Statistics show that young girls are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, so to have a powerful symbol like this autistic Barbie doll helps bring the conversation around neurodivergence in women to the forefront, so that autistic girls can feel accepted and seen.”
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https://www.nationalworld.com/lifestyle/family-and-parenting/autism-barbie-doll-charity-offers-word-of-caution-over-new-doll-from-mattel-5472569
Mattel launches autistic Barbie doll
Doll developed with Autistic Self Advocacy Network comes with articulated elbows and wrists to allow for stimming
Evelyn Lau
January 12, 2026
Mattel has introduced the autistic Barbie doll, marking a step forward in the brand’s effort to broaden representation across its range of toys.
Developed over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (Asan), a non-profit disability rights organisation run by and for people with autism, the doll joins the Barbie Fashionistas collection. The line features a range of skin tones, hair textures and body types, as well as dolls representing various medical conditions and disabilities.
Created with guidance from the autistic community, the doll is designed to reflect common ways in which autistic people may experience, process and communicate with the world around them. It features articulated elbows and wrists to allow for stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to regulate sensory input or express excitement.
The doll’s eye gaze is also slightly shifted to the side, reflecting how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact. Each doll comes with a pink finger-clip fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones and a tablet, all intended to help manage sensory overload.
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https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/2026/01/12/mattel-launches-autistic-barbie-designed-with-proud-members-of-the-community/
Doll developed with Autistic Self Advocacy Network comes with articulated elbows and wrists to allow for stimming
Evelyn Lau
January 12, 2026
Mattel has introduced the autistic Barbie doll, marking a step forward in the brand’s effort to broaden representation across its range of toys.
Developed over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (Asan), a non-profit disability rights organisation run by and for people with autism, the doll joins the Barbie Fashionistas collection. The line features a range of skin tones, hair textures and body types, as well as dolls representing various medical conditions and disabilities.
Created with guidance from the autistic community, the doll is designed to reflect common ways in which autistic people may experience, process and communicate with the world around them. It features articulated elbows and wrists to allow for stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to regulate sensory input or express excitement.
The doll’s eye gaze is also slightly shifted to the side, reflecting how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact. Each doll comes with a pink finger-clip fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones and a tablet, all intended to help manage sensory overload.
Snip...
https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/wellbeing/2026/01/12/mattel-launches-autistic-barbie-designed-with-proud-members-of-the-community/
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