Barbie breaks barriers with hijab-wearing doll
Olympic fencer inspires toy industry’s new model
January 10, 2018
According to The New York Times, Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad will be modeling for the Mattel toy company. This November’s Glamour’s Women of the Year Summit said the doll will have muscular thighs, darker skin, Nike shoes and just like the Olympian herself, a hijab.
Along with the new doll wearing a headscarf, she will be changing up leg size as well. Muscular thighs to complete Muhammad’s athletic look will be revolutionary to the “Shero” collection now that it shows Barbie is staying open to changing the shape of its dolls.The importance of this is because seeing changes being made to the doll’s size will allow a widespread audience to feel included.
When going into the toys section of a store, it is great to see diversity in the shapes and sizes of Barbie dolls. Toy companies are also becoming inclusive with cultural background. This is an inspiring moment for women because it proves how changes are being made in the toy industry.
At the Glamour Women of the Year Summit, Muhammad said she felt proud to know that little girls who wear a hijab can play with a barbie who chooses to wear a headscarf. Muhammad appears as a perfect role model for Barbie’s audience considering her ability to represent customers of several backgrounds.
Barbie has changed drastically toward the inclusion of race,size and cultural backgrounds since the early twenty-first century. There is no longer one Barbie doll but several unique ones resembling their own story. Muhammad’s doll will direct young kids to understand the normality in today’s society.
Since 2016, Mattel has been working with Barbie to appeal it’s fans with a doll in their likeness. A line hosted by Barbie called “Shero” sells Barbie dolls with a variety of different sizes, colors and backgrounds and Muhammad’s Olympic barbie will be a part of that.
Barbie allowing its audience to feel comfortable and have a chance to see themselves being represented is truly inspiring. Seeing a global brand such as MAT diversify their toy line and include a Barbie doll that wears a hijab makes the new doll a crucial win for inclusiveness.
