MATTEL have made the first ever visually impaired doll or as the newspapers are putting it, ‘Blind Barbie’ doll.
This doll is the newest member of the Barbie family and will help girls and boys with sightloss feel included and seen with a doll that now represents their world.
It also brings with it a whole sense of spreading awareness about blindness that we, as bloggers & vloggers, try to get across with our posts. That blind people, as a community, are striving for inclusivity within a sighted world. For people to learn about us so we aren’t this mystery or people to be pitied. We’re just like everyone else.
The doll is available to buy now.
It’s the latest of their line which includes the first Barbie with Down’s syndrome and aims to increase representation across its range of toys.
Mattel partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) in the US, and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in the UK to design the new doll.
Barbie’s design contains lots of features that will not only make her more accurately reflect a blind person, but also will be interesting for children who are blind or who have low vision to play with someone who is just like them.
For a child that’s just been diagnosed with sightloss, I think this doll would give the perfect opportunity to open up the conversation about what is happening to them by their parents or caregiver to help children understand and hopefully feel positively and not so fearful about sightloss.
This Barbie doll comes come with a long cane and dark glasses, and features textured clothing so children who are blind, or have low vision, can feel the outfits she’s wearing.
On the box she comes in, Barbie is spelled in Braille, which is language made of raised dots that blind people can feel to read things.
I think this is what should have been made years ago. It’s not before time.
Well done Mattel for bringing much needed inclusivity in their Barbie’s ranges. Hopefully to continue.
#Mattel
#MattelBarbie
#BlindBarbie
#Inclusivity
#Barbie
#SightlossToys
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