Mattel Launches Blind Barbie with Cane, Says Black Down Syndrome Barbie Coming Soon

Couldn’t you just tell a blind girl the Barbie is blind too?

I mean, by the nature of the thing, she can’t see it.

Right?

The Guardian:

Six decades after the original Barbie hit shelves, Mattel is launching its first blind Barbie doll in an effort to make its range more inclusive.

The US toymaker said the doll, which is now available online and instore, has been created in a bid to make blind and low-vision children more represented within society.

In a statement, Krista Berger, the senior vice-president of Barbie and the global head of dolls, said: “We recognise that Barbie is much more than just a doll; she represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging.”

The company has worked with the American Foundation for the Blind to ensure that everything from the doll’s eyes to its clothing accurately depict people with blindness and low vision.

The doll holds a white and red cane with a marshmallow tip while its eye gaze faces slightly up and out to “accurately reflect the sometimes-distinct eye gaze of a blind individual”.

But… the blind child can’t see that?

Are the toys meant for non-blind children? Why would a little girl with sight want a blind doll?

In addition to its first blind Barbie, Mattel has also partnered with the American organisation the National Down Syndrome Society to launch its first black doll with Down’s syndrome.

That’s gross.

Who is asking for this?

The Organization for the Advancement of Blind and Retarded Children?