New Barbie is born! Mattel launched first-ever Barbie with Down Syndrome amid calls for diversity

A Barbie with Down Syndrome is here! Mattel Inc launched its first-ever Barbie doll with Down syndrome on Tuesday to allow more children to see themselves in the iconic toy.

The doll with Down syndrome is part of a diverse new collection - the 2023 Barbie Fashionistas line, released by the nearly 80-year-old toymaker.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes a person to be born with an extra pair of their 21st chromosome, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The firm partnered with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) in the US to bring the product to market.

Guided by the NDSS, the doll dons a puff-sleeved dress decorated with a blue and yellow butterfly pattern, pink pendant necklace with three upward chevrons represents the three copies of the 21st chromosome, which is the genetic material that causes the characteristics associated with the condition. The chevrons, or arrows, represent “the Lucky Few” who have someone with Down’s syndrome in their life.

The new line also features a Barbie with a prosthetic leg, a Barbie who uses a wheelchair, and male dolls that are thinner and less muscular.

As per a Guardina report, Mattel has described this collection as its “most diverse and inclusive doll line, offering a variety of skin tones, eye colours, hair colours and textures, body types, disabilities and fashions, to inspire even more stories”.