Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent

‘Representation matters’: Barbie launches first doll with type 1 diabetes

Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes, launched on 8 July.
The doll wears an insulin pump and holds a bag big enough for any essentials such as snacks that she might need. Photograph: Mattel/PA

In Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, Barbieland is a haven of equality and diversity. But although the dolls have been around since 1959, it was only in 2019 that the manufacturer, Mattel, started selling Barbies with physical disabilities.

Mattel has now launched its first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes, the latest addition to a range it says has been designed “to enable more children to see themselves reflected and encourage doll play that extends beyond a child’s lived experience”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.