Autism Advocacy Groups React to Mattel's New Autistic Barbie Doll

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mattel opens 2026 with meaningful news as it introduces its first-ever autistic Barbie doll.

The launch brings the doll into the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which features the brand’s most diverse lineup yet, spanning a wide range of skin tones, hair textures, body types, and representations of medical conditions and disabilities.

The autistic Barbie doll was developed for more than 18 months in close collaboration with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), a nonprofit disability rights organization run by and for people with autism.

Mattel stated on its official website, “The doll, designed with guidance from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, helps to expand what inclusion looks like in the toy aisle and beyond because every child deserves to see themselves in Barbie.”

Given this very careful consideration, the launch has drawn reactions from advocacy groups. Geraldine Dawson, founding director of the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development and William Cleland Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine, said she was “pleased” with the introduction of the autistic Barbie doll.

Dawson emphasized the role representation can play in shaping a positive sense of identity and self-esteem.

She noted that for children on the autism spectrum, seeing themselves reflected in toys can be especially meaningful, adding, “For kids on the spectrum, this is particularly important because it can buffer them from developing mental health problems, such as depression, which are common among autistic children.”

While the doll doesn’t represent every autistic experience, it informs a number of thoughtful design choices that reflect some of the many ways autistic people perceive and navigate the world around them. 

Among its intentional design features include the flexible elbow and hand joints, slightly side-angled eyes, carefully selected accessories, and sensory-considered clothing.

Echoing this, Eileen Lamb, a senior director of marketing and social media strategy at Autism Speaks, said the brand’s support sends “a powerful message about inclusion that can shape kids’ identities early on.”

This response aligns with the goals of Mattel’s partnership with ASAN. As noted by Good Morning America and ABC News, the doll aims to give kids with autism another way to “see themselves represented in Barbie.”

Brenda Dater, executive director of the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity, also welcomed the launch, stating, “We see this as one step in an ongoing evolution of authentic representation.”

“What's most important is continuing to listen to Autistic voices and recognizing that representation should reflect the full humanity and diversity of the world children are a part of.”

The autistic Barbie doll is available starting January 12 at Mattel Shop and Target for a retail price of $11.87. Its release joins other inclusive additions to the Barbie Fashionistas line, including a blind Barbie, Barbies with Down syndrome, and a Ken doll with vitiligo.

Read: Mattel Launches Autistic Barbie

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