Mattel launches first blind Barbie doll

Lucy Edwards, a visually-impaired disability activist and broadcaster, who appears in the campaign 

US toymaker Mattel has launched its first blind Barbie doll, six decades after the original Barbie was introduced, in a bid to greater represent blind and low-vision children.

Krista Berger, senior vice-president of Barbie and the global head of dolls, said: ‘We recognise that Barbie is much more than just a doll; she represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging.’

The company worked with the American Foundation for the Blind to ensure the doll accurately depicted people with blindness and low vision, from the eye gaze to the white and red cane.