By: Emily Liu

The first blind Barbie doll will be showing up in toy stores today, July 29th, 2024. The company that makes Barbies, Mattel, partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind and the Royal National Institute of Blind People. This doll was made so blind people can be recognized. This Barbie doll has multiple features to resemble a blind person, also so that people who’s blind and have low vision will have lots of fun playing with this doll.

Barbie is a famous brand of doll, it is important because Barbie represents female empowerment, and how women can be anything, no matter their appearance. Plus, imaginary worlds and role play with Barbie, can prompt them to think about their emotions and other people’s feelings. This new Barbie has dark glasses and a walking stick, with texture on her clothes so that people with sight issues can feel what she’s wearing. On the box that the Barbie comes with, “Barbie” is written with Braille, a language that consists of raised dots so that blind people can read it.

“It is wonderful to think that blind children now have a barbie to play with that looks just like them,” said Debbie Miller from the Royal National Institute of Blind People. “It is an acknowledgement that not everyone can see well, which means a lot to the blind and partially sighted community. Helping children and adults with sight loss feel like they belong and are recognized.