Autistic Barbie is Not Representative of the Entire Community, But That Might Be The Point
Image via PickPik
Mattel is a brand that seems to always be the subject of conversation when discussing representation. Their dolls have 35 skintones, 97 hair types, and 9 body types; a blind Barbie, a Barbie in a wheelchair, a Barbie with Down Syndrome, and far more across their diverse range. Their most recent addition has been autistic Barbie and, as per usual, people have a lot of thoughts.
You’re not alone if you’re wondering (as I did), What does autism even look like? After all, autism is an invisible disability that can “look” different on everyone. So how have Mattel made their visual toy a representation of a non-visual disability? Autistic Barbie sports many features: sensory-friendly loose clothing, a fidget spinner, a communication tablet, flexible joints for play stimming, and noise-cancelling headphones.
Before we delve into whether this is representation or stereotyping, it’s worth noting that this doll was made in collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) which is already a huge mark in their favour.
Barbie is a toy that we all grew up with: whether it was the dolls, the films, or the TV show, everyone had heard of Barbie – a massive cultural impact that hardly any other toy comes close to competing with. I still remember when I was 12 and Barbie released their Fashionista line (the first body positive Barbies). I was genuinely ecstatic to see Barbies with the same body type as me, and vividly remember my excitement that there was a short barbie, because I had always been the smallest in my class.
I was diagnosed with autism at 21 and this provided me with an opportunity to see my childhood in a different way. I hadn’t known that loud noises weren’t meant to make me afraid and dissociated, or that headphones could help me enjoy the theatre in a way I’d never been able to before. I had fiddled with bracelets and rubber bands, not knowing that this was a form of stimming and that there were toys designed especially for this outlet. The reason I didn’t know was because I never saw it: nobody around me seemed to have these difficulties, and at times this could be a very lonely experience.
Having a Barbie that normalises these accommodations, to me, seems that it can only be positive, so why are people complaining? The main feedback has been that there is no “look” to autism and that the new Barbie is harmful – as opposed to helpful. To this point I argue that Autistic Barbie does not, and cannot, represent everyone. I do not have an AC tablet, I use earplugs instead of noise-cancelling headphones, and fidget spinners are not my stim toy of choice. Yet here I am tearing up as I watch a little autistic girl point excitedly at the tablet that she recognises from her own life.
So, if you’re finding yourself thinking “this doesn’t represent me” consider that it’s not meant to. This is one autistic Barbie in the extensive Barbie universe. They never claimed she represented everyone, but someone will unbox their Barbie today and feel seen and valued; and if that’s not a win then I don’t know what is.