One year after Mattel introduced its first Barbie with Down syndrome, the company is now releasing a Black Barbie with Down syndrome and a Barbie with blindness. These dolls are additions to the Barbie Fashionistas line, a diverse collection designed to promote inclusivity, featuring over 175 choices with a variety of skin tones, eye colors, hair colors, textures, body shapes, disabilities, and fashion styles.

Blind Barbie is designed with articulated arms for comfortable use of her white and red cane, and she has a distinctive eye gaze. She wears sunglasses to assist with light sensitivity, and her clothes are crafted to encourage tactile exploration and facilitate easy changes. Moreover, the doll's packaging features the word "Barbie" in Braille.

The newly designed Black Barbie with Down syndrome features a shorter stature, an elongated torso, and reduced muscle tone. Her facial characteristics include a rounder visage, diminutive ears, a flattened nasal bridge, and slanted, almond-shaped eyes with distinctive white specks in the irises. Additionally, her palms display a singular crease, and her hair boasts a braided texture.

Moreover, this Black Barbie dons pink eyeglasses, acknowledging the visual impairments common among individuals with Down syndrome. Her attire, in hues of blue and yellow, symbolizes Down syndrome awareness, adorned with hearts bearing three arrows, symbolizing the trisomy of the 21st chromosome characteristic of the syndrome.

Mattel collaborated with the American Foundation for the Blind and the National Down Syndrome Society to guarantee accurate representation.

The Blind Barbie and the Black Barbie with Down syndrome are set to appear in several episodes of the YouTube series "Barbie Doll Adventures" this autumn.

Representation of disabilities in dolls and episodes helps to break down barriers and create a more inclusive culture. A significant amount of learning is through play, and providing children with dolls they can identify with, or see their friends identify with, really helps create a sense of belonging and inclusion.