Theo ChapmanWeekend Fin editor
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This week toymaker Mattel added a Down syndrome Barbie to its popular doll range and trumpeted that the company has “the most diverse doll line on the market”.
The new Barbie is far from the first Down syndrome doll, however. Down syndrome dolls have been made in Spain since 2007 when Superjuguete released its first examples.
Also from Spain were a 2015 line from The Doll Factory, followed in 2019 by a range from Toyse.
Another Spanish company, Miniland, makes a range of Down syndrome dolls of many ethnicities.
Then, in 2020, Kmart introduced its Baby Charlie boy and girl dolls.
Down syndrome Barbie is part of the Barbie Fashionistas line, launched in 2022, which includes a doll with a prosthetic leg, one who uses a wheelchair, and male dolls that are thinner and less muscular.
The Barbie range now has about 175 looks that encompass skin, hair and eye colour as well as body types and abilities. It’s a far cry from the doll’s origin in 1959 as a skinny blonde white girl.
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Theo ChapmanWeekend Fin editorTheo Chapman edits the Weekend Fin section of AFR Weekend. She writes about science, technology and the arts. Connect with Theo on Twitter. Email Theo at tchapman@afr.com
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