Barbie Doll Becomes Autistic, Manufacturer Claims It’s For “Diversity & Inclusion”
Despite her roots mimicking glamor stars of the 1950s, after a decade of hoeflation and retardation in pop culture, Barbie has been diagnosed with "a touch of the 'tism."
TL;DR
- Mattel has released a new autistic Barbie doll as part of its diversity-focused line.
- The autistic Barbie joins other dolls representing disabilities and diverse identities, such as Down syndrome, blindness, homosexuality, diabetes, cancer, and vitiligo.
- The original Barbie, introduced in 1959, was designed to represent a physically healthy and mentally competent woman.
- The development of the autistic Barbie involved partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
- The article notes an apparent link made by the AP between their autistic Barbie article and CDC information regarding vaccines and autism, despite the Barbie article not discussing vaccines.
- The article also suggests a coincidence between the timing of Barbie's autism diagnosis and the Trump administration's reduction in recommended vaccines, claiming vaccines increase the risk of autism.