0
Mattel announced, this Monday (12/1), the launch of the first Barbie that represents people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The doll was created with the direct participation of the atypical community and experts. The toy is part of the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which expands the brand’s diversity with dolls with different bodies, skin tones, disabilities and stories.
Mattel announces the launch of a doll that represents people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Toy arrives in Brazil in July 2026/Photo: Reproduction/Mattel
Developed over months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), an organization run by autistic people and dedicated to defending their rights, the new Barbie was designed to reflect the experiences and characteristics of people on the autism spectrum, with design details, clothes and accessories that represent neurological diversity without stigma.
Autistic Barbie will make her debut in Brazil in July 2026, with a suggested price of around R$119.99. It will be sold in the main retailers and toy stores, physical and online.
Design details and features
Each element of the doll was designed with a focus on comfort, representation and sensitivity. The choices promote empathy, understanding and strengthen the message that playing is a space for recognition and belonging for all children:
-
Articulation in the elbows and wrists: allows repetitive gestures (stimming), a characteristic that some autistic children use to regulate sensations or express emotion;
-
Slightly averted gaze: represents the fact that some people on the spectrum avoid direct eye contact;
-
Sensory accessories: Items include noise mufflers, a pink fidget spinner that actually spins, and a tablet with Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps to symbolize alternative forms of communication.
- Flat shoes to represent comfort and celebrate freedom of movement.
The new Barbie joins the Fashionistas line, which already includes models with visual impairments, Barbies with type 1 diabetes, dolls with Down Syndrome and other bodily or medical differences. According to Mattel, the objective of the line is to reinforce the brand’s commitment to “reflecting the real world of children from an early age and combating stigmas”.
