Advocacy groups react after Mattel introduces 1st Barbie doll with autism
Autism experts and advocacy groups are reacting after Mattel announced a new Barbie doll, the first with autism, on Sunday.
Many celebrated the new doll from the global toy company, saying its introduction raises awareness of a condition that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates approximately 3.2% or about 1 in 31 children in the U.S. have.
Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a spectrum, which means symptoms vary by person. Some need little support in their daily lives, and some may need a great deal of support in performing day-to-day activities. Some may have advanced conversation skills and others may be minimally verbal.
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" to see the new Barbie doll with autism.
"Autistic kids often feel excluded because they are different. Having a doll that represents their personal experiences sends a message that they are valued and included," Dawson told ABC News in a statement. "This can play an important role in developing a positive sense of identity and self-esteem. For kids on the spectrum, this is especially important because it can buffer them from developing mental health problems, such as depression, which are common among autistic kids."
The advocacy group and nonprofit Autism Speaks also said the new doll "helps reinforce a positive self-image for autistic children."
"When toy brands like Toys 'R' Us or Mattel support autism, they send a powerful message about inclusion that can shape kids' identities early on," Eileen Lamb, a senior director of marketing and social media strategy at Autism Speaks, told ABC News in a statement.
She added, "As a mom to two children on the spectrum, and someone who was diagnosed later in life, seeing a doll like this feels like an important building block toward better understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of autistic people, starting in childhood and continuing throughout life."
The new Barbie doll, part of the Barbie Fashionistas collection, has features Mattel said reflects common experiences some with autism have or relate to, such as elbow and wrist articulation that can showcase stimming behaviors like hand flapping and a slanted gaze to indicate non-direct eye contact.
The doll also comes with accessories like headphones, representing one of the tools kids and people with autism might use to decrease "sensory overload," a tablet showing symbols used in augmentative and alternative communication apps that some nonverbal individuals with autism use to communicate, and a fidget spinner.
Mattel said it partnered with the nonprofit disability rights organization Autistic Self Advocacy Network, or ASAN, to bring the new doll to life and aims to give kids with autism another way to "see themselves represented in Barbie."
The Association for Autism and Neurodiversity, another nonprofit, praised the partnership between ASAN and Mattel, saying it "reflects an effort to be thoughtful about how autism is represented."
"When neurodivergent experiences and support tools show up in everyday play, it can help reduce stigma and make space for empathy and understanding for Autistic kids and non-autistic kids alike," Brenda Dater, executive director of the Association for Autism and Neurodiversity, told ABC News in an emailed statement. "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."
According to the CDC, autism is a developmental disability caused by brain differences that can be marked by a wide variety of symptoms and signs. They may include avoidance of eye contact, a lack of facial expressions, repetition of words, delayed cognitive and social skills, unusual eating patterns and more.
Mattel has sought to diversify its Barbie dolls in recent years and introduced a Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes in July 2025 and a Barbie doll with Down syndrome in April 2023.
