Fla. Girl Pushes For Wheelchair Barbie

[The Straight Story]

Fla. Girl Pushes For Wheelchair Barbie

POSTED: 10:06 am EST February 5, 2006
UPDATED: 10:09 am EST February 5, 2006

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Morgan Kelly wasn't looking for special treatment or a handout. She simply wanted an answer to the question: "Why can't there be a Barbie in a wheelchair?"

That innocent query prompted Morgan's mother to confront a multinational corporation, and, in the end, the 8-year-old Lakeland girl wound up with what she considers an 111/2-inch-long, plastic version of herself.

The episode began one evening in December, when Morgan gazed among the dozens of dolls owned by her younger sister Elizabeth and realized none had a physical disability.

"She said, `Mommy, don't they think other little girls would love to have a Barbie in a wheelchair when they're getting their first wheelchair?"' says Angela Floyd, the girl's mother.

http://www.local6.com/news/6758753/detail.html

[Orangepeel]

1. that's a sweet story n/t

[Hissyspit]

2. There was a Barbie in a wheelchair a while back, wasn't there?

Well, I don't think it was Barbie per se, it was one of her nieces or something.

[ISUGRADIA]

3. Becky from 1997was a Barbie doll in a wheelchair

http://www.cnn.com/US/9705/21/disabled.doll/

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- "Share a Smile Becky," the new Barbie doll in a hot pink wheelchair, was rolled out Wednesday to the delight of disabled children like 9-year-old Hannah Withers.

Hannah, who has cerebral palsy, gleefully clutched the doll and stroked her hair. "She's in a wheelchair," she exclaimed with a huge grin. Hannah's wheelchair is bright purple.

Toy-maker Mattel hopes the doll will help change attitudes and stereotypes about the disabled, and help children with disabilities build self-esteem.

Becky's legs, you can bend the knees," said Hannah's mother, Tina. "This is something Hannah is working on. Hopefully, she can teach her doll to walk as she learns herself."

[otohara]

4. As A Kid w/ Polio - Never In A Million

years did I ever think about stuff like this.

Kids with disabilities have so much more to deal with than wondering why their aren't any disabled dolls in ToysRUs.

This just blows my mind.

[geomon666]

5. I'm personally pushing for Quadruple Amputee Ken.

Let's see that shallow whore Barbie hang out with him then.

[sam sarrha]

9. did you see the "Divorced" Barbie..? its like the rest of them except it

comes with all of Kens stuff.

[Deja Q]

6. How about a Barbie with a mental disability. Or an emotional one?

With pull-draw string too.

Heck, just having Jessica Simpson do the voice for either one would make it convincing...

[sam sarrha]

7. i made my 'Tomboy' niece a Butch Barbie,i cut the hair a pink/blue Mohawk

and sewed a little leather biker jacket and lace up high boots with lots of chains and a spike stud collar and some tattoo's, for a toy Harley chopper we found at a yard sale.. it was Perfect..

she loved it... my brother liked it too, but my sister-in-still wont speak to me.. no loss.

20 years ago i made my son a mountain man doll, with an buckskin outfit, long rifle, little hatchet, pots and pans and a backpack, moccasins, canteen, coon skin cap and a stuffed bear to ride, i sewed yarn loops on his chest,head and face and cut the loops and made hair.. it was a real museum piece, it went with the old time replica Sharpie sail boat i made the year before.. his mother had run off with a drug dealer and two ho's and i had no contact since 3years old, except for the toys i made him that a sympathetic family member smuggled to him.

[EFerrari]

8. What a great idea.

Kudos. :)