By: Alan Guo

The newest Barbie doll to date is surprisingly, blind. In creating this specialized doll, Mattel, the company that makes Barbie, teamed up with the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and the Royal Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

The new doll is made to contain the key characteristics of a visually-impaired
person, including eyes that look up and out (to reflect the way some blind people’s eyes look), and a “white cane” for detecting nearby objects and surroundings. The clothes will be textured differently from traditional Barbie dolls, allowing the owner to “feel” the colors and beauty of the clothing. The packaging she comes in will have Barbie written in Braille. The Barbie, as of now, has been released and can be purchased on the official Barbie website or in some retail stores.

Lucy Edwards, a disability activist from Birmingham, said that she “felt isolated by losing my eyesight and not seeing role models like me.” She added, “…but knowing Barbie had a cane would have made me feel so differently about mine and helped me feel less alone on my journey to accept and embrace my blindness.”

“…It’s an acknowledgment 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,” Debbie Miller from RNIB said.

The daily inconveniences of being visually impaired can stretch out to lots of places, including driving, going to the bathroom, sports, and many other activities, affecting visually-impaired people’s lives hugely.