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‘A positive step forward’: Mattel launches first blind Barbie

Toymaker created the doll, which carries a cane, to create a ‘sense of belonging’ for children with vision impairment

After conducting testing with blind and low-vision children, it was decided that the doll should be dressed in clothing with tactile fabric detailing including a pink satin T-shirt and purple tulle skirt. Lucy Edwards, a disability activist and broadcaster who is blind and appears in a campaign with the new Barbie, said the launch of the doll means “everything to me”, adding: “As a teenager, I felt isolated by losing my eyesight and not seeing role models like me. Guided by the NDSS, the doll features a shorter frame, longer torso and low muscle tone to reflect the physical characteristics some people with the genetic condition have.

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