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#1 out of 13.9K est. views
business10h ago
Autistic Barbie Doesn’t Represent Me. She Shouldn’t Have to
- Mattel released the first Barbie explicitly identified as autistic, created with input from autistic advocates.
- The doll includes an AAC device, noise-cancelling earmuffs, and joints for stimming to reflect autistic needs.
- Some autistic people welcome the doll, while others worry about its influence on real-world perceptions.
- The article notes that representation is not a substitute for real policies that support autistic people.
- The piece suggests children may reinterpret the doll, expanding ideas of what autism can look like.
- The author argues autism is diverse and no single character can represent all experiences.
- The article frames the doll as potentially increasing public awareness of autism.
- There is a nuanced view that a market product cannot fix systemic issues.
- The piece highlights a broader social context, criticizing political rhetoric about autism.
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