Mattel launched its first autistic Barbie on Monday, adding to a Fashionistas lineup that already includes dolls with Down syndrome, Type 1 diabetes, blindness, hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, and vitiligo.
The company said it developed the doll over 18 months with guidance from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, according to Mattel. (RELATED: ‘Barbie’ Is An Involuntary Acid Trip That Worked For The Most Bizarre Reasons: REVIEW)
Design details reflect common experiences among autistic individuals: the doll’s eyes angle slightly to the side to represent how some avoid direct eye contact, and articulated elbows and wrists allow for stimming motions such as hand flapping, the company said. Accessories include a pink fidget spinner, noise-cancelling headphones, and a tablet modeled after augmentative and alternative communication devices.
Mattel Inc. is introducing an autistic Barbie as the newest member of its line intended to celebrate diversity, developed in partnership with a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and better media representation of people with autism. https://t.co/kMxZA8v8vQ pic.twitter.com/qXHWreE0vD
— ABC News (@ABC) January 12, 2026
“Like many disabilities, autism doesn’t look any one way,” Noor Pervez, community engagement manager at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, told the Associated Press. “But we can try and show some of the ways that autism expresses itself.”
The doll is available Monday on Mattel’s online store and at Target for $11.87, the AP reported. Walmart is expected to carry it in March.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates about 1 in 31 eight-year-old children in the U.S. have been identified with autism spectrum disorder.