Barbie's Expanding Inclusivity

Writing two smaller reviews in one week didn't work out as well as I'd hoped.  Some family stuff came up, and everything always takes longer than I expect.  Another part of the problem was that I kept adding dolls to this review, and the dolls were too much fun!  I had a really great time with them and didn't want to stop playing.  That's been a bit of a theme for Barbie Month as a whole, though, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise.  But I managed to get everything ready for you before the opening night of the Barbie movie, and that was my goal, so it's all good.  Once I've seen the movie, I can start talking about the dolls that it inspired.

The idea for today's post was not to review anything in-depth, but rather to showcase and celebrate Barbie's growing acknowledgement of diversity, equity, and inclusivity over the years.  And for this, I decided to focus most of my attention on the Fashionistas--a group of dolls that I seldom talk about on this blog.  It's a pretty wonderful group:

A collection of inclusive Barbie dolls.

Barbie didn't start out as an inclusive or diverse doll line, though.  In fact, it was just the opposite.  The very first Barbie dolls were all white, they all had idealized bodies, and they all had the same job: fashion model.

The first appearance of equity in Barbie's world was the introduction of new careers--sometimes careers that were not common for women at the time.  

The career expansion started off modestly, with occupations like fashion designer, singer, and ballerina.  But in 1961 Barbie was hired as both a flight attendant and a nurse:

1961 Barbie Registered Nurse doll (Mattel).

The 35th Anniversary Barbie's pamphlet boasted that Barbie was an astronaut decades before Sally Ride, and this is true.  Barbie was introduced as an astronaut for the first time in 1965, and Sally Ride made her first flight in 1983.

1965 Barbie Miss Astronaut (Mattel).

However, the first female in space was actually Valentina Tereshkova, who went into space before Barbie, in 1963.

In any case, Barbie got her medical license and become a surgeon in 1973:

1973 Barbie surgeon (Mattel).

A veterinarian in 1985:

And she was president for the first time in 1992:

1992 Barbie For President.

As of now, Barbie has had more than 250 careers, and it feels like there's been a concerted effort to include STEM-related fields where women are underrepresented, like computer engineering and game development:

Game Developer Barbie (2016).

Another big change in inclusivity over the decades has been Mattel's addition of new body types to the Barbie line.  

First of all, the standard Barbie body has morphed from a voluptuous pin-up style physique to a more realistic, athletic body:

A modern Made to Move body (left) and a reproduction of the 1959 body (right).

But Mattel has also added new body variations.  In 2016, the tall, petite, and curvy bodies were released:

Signature Looks Victoria (Tall)

Signature Looks Kit (Petite).

Signature Looks Elle (Curvy).

And by now, in 2023, there are nine different Fashionista body types, including a small-chested female body and a variety of Ken bodies (slim, broad, and petite):

There's also been an explosion in Barbie's ethnic diversity over the years.  The first Black Barbie friend was Christie, who was released in 1968.  But there wasn't a Black doll who was actually named Barbie until 1980.  There was also an Hispanic Barbie released that year:

Reproduction of the first Black Barbie from 1980.

These days, there are 35 different skin tones representing a wide range of backgrounds and ethnicities.  Here are a few of my favorite examples from the Fashionista line:

Fashionista 199.

Fashionista 200.

Fashionista 198.

Fashionista 177.

Recently, Mattel has been exploring a new avenue of diversity: physical disabilities.  In 1997 there was a Barbie character, Becky, who used a wheelchair, but she was discontinued and there wasn't an equivalent character for a very long time.

I'm the School Photographer Becky, from Feerie's 2016 guest review.

In 2016, the Lammily brand introduced a 1:6 wheelchair for their dolls, and at the time it was the only such chair available.  Mattel must have felt the pressure, because in 2019 they responded with a new wheelchair for Barbie.

Currently, there are at least five Barbie dolls who use wheelchairs, in addition to several Ken and Chelsea characters, too!

But that's only the beginning.  Barbie has also expanded to include dolls with prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, scoliosis, Down syndrome, vitiligo, and even braces:

Was that a good idea?

I decided to focus my attention on these dolls for today's review, since I feel like representation in this area has been very slow to reach the mainstream doll market.

I won't talk about that doll with braces in any depth, because frankly I find her a little creepy, but I will take a look at several of the other characters with disabilities.

Let's start with Fashionista 187.  She made a brief appearance in Spectra's storybook:

She's the one on the far right.

This doll is from 2021 and comes in a pink vinyl carrying case.  Fashionistas typically cost $9.99, but I found this one for around $5 online:

Fashionista 187.

I really like the package art on this group of Fashionistas.  The graphics are vibrant and full of motion:

The doll herself is also really cute, with a huge smile and an adorable retro floral dress with an oversized white collar:

She looks like a Justine to me, so that's what I'll call her.

Justine has a minimally-articulated, small-chested, flat-footed Fashionista body with a pale skin tone:

This girl has the Alec face mold, which is one of the ones I can recognize without help.  She has an extremely wide mouth with a toothy smile, and large olive-green eyes:

The special thing about Justine is that she wears hearing aids in both ears:

The bright pink aids are not designed to be removed.  They insert into large holes in the middle of each ear:

As I said, my intent here is not to do an exhaustive review, but just to showcase each doll.  So here's Justine relaxing:

She can't stand on her own like that.

She does not have a lot of posing options, but her dynamic face and cute outfit are rewarding to photograph:

I think it would have made more sense to give a hearing-impaired character some better arm articulation, though.  ASL is really hard for Justine with those stiff arms!

Is that the sign for "robot?"

Justine's hair is auburn-colored and very straight.  Many of the Fashionistas have saran hair, which is nice, but Justine's hair is stiff and a little coarse--especially at the ends.  I'm not sure what type of fiber it is, but it's not my favorite.

The color is pretty, though:

I took Justine's hair down and straightened it a little, but it's hard to style because of the stiff fiber and lack of a central part:

This is an endearing girl with an almost elfin charm about her.  And that smile definitely brightens the room:

The next character that I want to look at is Fashionista 135.  She's from 2020 and also comes in a pink vinyl case:

Fashionista 135.

This girl has vitiligo, which is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own pigment-making cells, the melanocytes.

Vitiligo is not life-threatening, but it can create self-image issues.  The patches can be really beautiful, though.  

This Fashionista, who I've named Naomi, doesn't seem bothered by her vitiligo!

Naomi has a bent-arm, flat-footed, petite Fashionista body with a brown skin tone.  She has light patches on her face, arms, and neck:

Naomi's face looks even happier than Justine's, with a toothy grin, strong brows, and smiling brown eyes:

Naomi has tightly-curled black hair that is pulled up into a ponytail on the top of her head:

I think that this hairstyle gives her extra exuberance and youthfulness:

She comes in a long striped sundress with high slits on either side.  The waist is accented with a black vinyl fanny pack.  It's a nice, summery look, and something that I would wear:

Minus the fanny pack.

The bent-arm body gives Naomi more posing options than Justine.  She can rest her hand on her hip or run her fingers through her hair:

I took Naomi's ponytail down for a minute, to see what her hair looks like when it's loose:

The hair looks fine when it's down, but I prefer to have it pulled back a little bit, like with this ribbon headband:

Naomi's cheerful personality and striking skin pattern make her stand out from the crowd:

The next doll I decided to purchase is Fashionista 121.  She is part of the same 2020 collection as Naomi:

Fashionista 121.

I love how she looks on the front of the package:

The name Lucia pops into my head whenever I look at that picture, so that's what I'll name this girl.

Lucia is one of several Barbie Fashionistas with a prosthetic leg:

The prosthetic leg design was first released in 2019 as a collaboration with disability activist Jordan Reeves.

With the exception of the prosthesis, Lucia has a standard straight-armed, flat-footed Fashionista body:

She also has a beautiful medium skin tone that's a lot like Lena's. 

The prosthetic leg is not articulated, which is too bad, but it has some nice molded detail:

At first I thought it was a little funny that the foot on the prosthesis is flesh-colored, but after searching out images of real prosthetic legs, I see that this is normal--and it makes sense.

I didn't realize this right away, but the prosthetic leg is actually removable!  That adds a lot of realism:

The leg was hard to pull off the first time, but now it snaps on and off quite easily.

It would be great if Mattel would make alternate legs for these dolls.  For example, there are special prosthetics for athletic activities, and I think Lucia is a good runner!

The removable prosthetic leg is enough to make Lucia a great addition to the Fashionista lineup, but she also happens to be one of the prettiest Barbies I've ever seen.  Her face mold (Neysa?) is friendly, but also glamorous, and I love her bright green eyes and red lips!

Lucia's facial screening is also higher-quality than a lot of the other Fashionistas I've seen.  There's no pixelation or unevenness in the paint; her face is vividly crisp and clear.

I'm not as wild about Lucia's outfit.  It looks to me like the kind of sweatshirt dress from the 80s that I would be happier never thinking about, but I guess that kind of thing is back in style?  It doesn't do Lucia's complexion any favors:

There is a wind beneath her wings.

If I had bright green eyes like Lucia's, I'd always be dressed in green--not baby blue!

And it's hard for Lucia to be as active as she wants with that super-short hemline:

I raided Lena's closet and found this more neutral houndstooth dress for Lucia to wear:

I think she looks so much better in this dress!

Lucia's hair is saran, so it feels soft and nice and is easy to style and brush.  It tends to have a lot of little flyaways, but it's great overall.  

The rooting is odd, though, with a triangle of hair in the very middle of the head that's pulled up into a topknot:

So, rather than a single center part, there are basically two intersecting side parts:

I took the topknot down to see how the hair would look without it.

The nice thing is that either of the two rooted parts can be used to separate the sides of the hair, and this style looks great!

Now Lucia is ready for her portrait session!

What a captivating girl:

The next Fashionista that I want to feature was harder to find than the others...or rather it was hard to find one that didn't cost $70 or more.  This is number 91, and she's from way back in 2017:

Fashionista 91.

It's fun to see the diversity of dolls from 2017:

This was the year after the curvy, tall, and petite bodies were introduced.

Anyway, Fashionista 91 has albinism, which is a partial or total lack of pigmentation in the skin, hair, and eyes:

I'm going to name this girl Chloe, after a friend of mine who is passionate about doll inclusivity.

Chloe has the straight-armed, high-heeled, petite Fashionista body with very pale skin:

You can see that she's a shade paler than Justine, who I thought was as pale as Barbie could get:

Chloe has the Albus face mold, which I think is one of the more distinct Barbie faces.  She has a toothy smile with a full upper lip, and realistically-sized pale blue eyes.  She also has quite a lot of freckles!

Since albinism is a lack of pigmentation in the skin, and freckles are areas of increased pigmentation in the skin, I was confused about how Chloe could have both albinism and freckles.

The answer is that there are many different types of albinism.  In the most severe kind, where no pigment is made whatsoever, freckles would not be possible.  But for other varieties of albinism, the body can produce some pigment--enough to make freckles after sun exposure.

Chloe's most striking feature is probably her full head of curly blonde hair:

The hair is completely loose and natural, with tight curls and a lot of volume!

There's actually a rooted side part hidden amongst all of those curls, too:

I tried using the side part to generate some alternate hairstyles:

But Chloe looks best when her hair is unconstrained:

I really like Chloe's outfit, too.  She's wearing an athletic jersey-style top paired with a plaid pencil skirt. The shirt has sleeves that are sewn into the side seams, which gives an interesting cape-like effect:

Chloe might have been harder to find than some of the other dolls in this review, but she was definitely worth the hunt!

At this point I'm going to veer away from my Fashionista theme for a bit.  There's more than enough diversity among the Fashionistas for me to fill several reviews, certainly, but I wanted to expand into a few other categories--just for the sake of variety.

The next doll isn't even a Barbie--she's Barbie's sister, Chelsea.  I saw this cutie months ago and could not resist her:

She came out in November of last year and costs about $8.  I found mine on sale for just over $5.

This little one, who I've named Rebecca, is special because she has scoliosis:

Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curve in the backbone.  It can be caused by degeneration and old age, but the most common form presents in childhood or adolescence for unknown--but possibly genetic-- reasons.  Very rarely, children can be born with the disorder.

I remember getting yearly scoliosis checks at the doctor.  I think my parents worried about me because I was really tall and slouched a lot back in the day.  I don't have scoliosis, but it was stressful to be checked, because nobody wanted to wear that brace!

Apparently, Rebecca doesn't mind too much--most days, anyway.  She knows that the brace is helping her:

When I ordered this doll online, I was half expecting that she'd be a traditional Chelsea doll with a scoliosis brace slapped on.  But she actually has her own unique body mold.

The brace itself is made out of flexible vinyl, and has a lot of molded factory marks on the back:

The two little straps on the front have working ratchet closure:

Underneath the brace, Rebecca is wearing a cute pink dropped-waist dress with a lightning bold design:

I'm so impressed that Mattel had a completely new torso designed for this doll:

The detail in the back is really excellent:

You can even see the curve in her backbone:

I cherish Rebecca because of her unique body mold, but she's a delightful little doll regardless.  She's one of the most endearing Chelseas I've owned:

I think it's those big brown eyes that turn me into a puddle:

I also like that she has a removable outfit and not a painted-on top like so many of the newer Chelseas.

I'm not the only one who loves this girl, either.  Tilly, my Toucan Chelsea, is extremely excited to have a new friend in the house!

Rebecca is not the only doll in today's review who has her own body design.  In fact, this next girl has a completely unique body and head.  This is Fashionista 208:

Fashionista 208.

She was designed in conjunction with the National Down Syndrome Society and represents a young woman with trisomy 21:

This doll came out very recently, in the spring of 2023.  I've been eager to get my hands on her!  Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic disorders in the world, and yet it's still underrepresented on the doll market.

I reviewed an 18-inch Down syndrome doll back in 2014.  Unfortunately those dolls appear to have suffered from fading, low-quality eyes and are no longer offered for sale.  I probably could have fixed the eyes on my Gracie, but I was stupid and gave her away before we moved.

Mattel's quote on the back of the box, "empowering the next generation through play," is especially poignant in the context of this doll and this review:

Dolls like this not only empower kids with Down syndrome, they create empathy and acceptance in kids without Down syndrome.  I hope a lot of parents buy this doll.

I decided to name my girl Stella:

Stella is marketed as a Fashionista, but she has more detail than other dolls in that series.  At $10.99 she costs slightly more, too, but the difference is negligible.

Stella has her own unique body design, with characteristics like short stature and a long torso that are characteristic of trisomy 21:

For comparison, here's Stella next to Justine:

Fashionista 208 (left) and Fashionista 187 (right).

There are more subtle details in Stella's body design, too, like the single crease on the palm of her hand--another common Down syndrome trait:

People with trisomy 21 often have low muscle tone and weak ligaments that can cause pain and fatigue in their feet.  Orthotics help with this, and so Stella has her own fashionable pair of pink braces!

Stella's face mold is completely new, too.  She has slanted, almond-shaped eyes and a flat nasal bridge, making her easily recognizable as a person with Down syndrome:

She also has small, rounded ears and a short neck (or short by Barbie standards, anyway):

And with all of those features put together, Stella is absolutely beautiful!

I really love her colorful floral sundress and her pink arrow necklace, which symbolizes the three chromosomes in trisomy 21:

She has long, soft, two-toned blonde hair:

This saran hair is easy to manage and almost always looks good.

Stella was one of the best surprises from this group.  She is an absolute delight.

I hope Mattel will use this new face and body mold to make a whole range of Down syndrome Fashionistas.

Stella's dress has a butterfly pattern because butterflies are a symbol of Down syndrome, so for her last portrait I decided to give Stella a little butterfly friend, too:

The next doll that I'm going to look at is technically a Fashionista, number 194, but she's very different from the other Fashionistas in this post.

First of all, she has a Made to Move body, and that's a necessity because of her wheelchair!

Fashionista 194.

I think the suggested retail for this doll is around $23, but I found her on sale for $15.

She comes in a large blister pack with a nice graphic of the character on the front:

I'm going to name her Nikki.

The back of the box has a photograph of eleven Fashionistas, including Nikki and two other dolls with wheelchairs:

Nikki comes with her wheelchair and a bright pink ramp that I assume is compatible with the Dreamhouse:

I put the ramp aside so that we could focus on Nikki and her chair:

Nikki herself has the Made to Move body, as I mentioned, but it has really weak ankle joints, which is always a bummer.  Maybe that's why she needs the wheelchair.

I think Nikki has the Millie face, which is extremely common in Barbie world:

Her eyes are really large (especially after looking at Stella) and her face paint is more pixelated than some of the other Fashionistas.

Nikki's wheelchair is pretty great:

It's made out of plastic and hard vinyl and has cheerful purple frame accents.

There's a clear plastic brace at the back of the seat that can be used to hold the doll in place:

But the brace can also be removed:

There are several moving parts to this chair, which is great.  Not only do the four wheels move, but there are little brakes on either side that can close over the wheels to lock them in place.  Here's the locked position:

And the unlocked position:

The foot rest of the chair is also adjustable, and can lift up:

And go back down:

The upholstery part of the seat has realistic molded details, and even says "Barbie" on the back in hot pink lettering:

Nikki fits well in the chair, both with and without the brace:

Who says being in a wheelchair has to stop you from being glamorous?  Nikki can strike all kinds of poses:

She can even pop a wheelie!

The chair does not have any handles in back, but Stella was still able to push Nikki around:

And Nikki can give some pretty fun rides, too!

At the risk of overkill, I figured I could also show you Chelsea in a wheelchair:

This set also comes with a ramp, and even includes some stickers for Chelsea to put on the back of her wheelchair:

Again, I assume that the ramp is compatible with the Dreamhouse, but did they really have to specify that the house isn't included?

No kidding.

Here's everything that was in the box:

But I'll focus on the Chelsea and her wheelchair:

This girl needs flower name.  I use flower names a lot, but I don't think I've ever used Tansy, which I think fits this little girl pretty well.

Tansy's chair is not just a miniature of the larger chair--it has some different features.

  

First of all, the brace on the back of the seat is not removable:

Also, the chair has a hot pink frame:

There are wheel locks on either side that can move, though, just like we saw with Nikki's chair:

And the foot rest can lift up and down, too:

The chair also has a fifth wheel in the very back.  This wheel spins, and the whole structure can move from left...

to right:

No wheelies for Tansy.

Tansy herself is extremely cute, like all Chelseas, with big dark brown curls and wide brown eyes:

The top of her outfit is painted on her body, but she has a removable fabric skirt with a colorful heart print:

She also comes with a pair of translucent pink glasses with heart-shaped rims:

Tansy does not have a typical Chelsea body.  In order to be compatible with the wheelchair, she has bendable knees.  In addition, her arms and legs can both hinge away from her body:

Tansy apparently doesn't need her wheelchair all of the time, either, judging by that last picture.  I think she hurt her leg in a gymnastics accident and should be back on her feet soon.

Tansy fits in the chair well:

And the extra flexibility in her body makes her fun to pose:

That's the leg that wasn't hurt, I guess...

There are no handles on Tansy's wheelchair, and it's way too low for a standard Barbie to lean down and push:

But Tilly has no trouble helping out!

I'm sorry that Tansy hurt her leg and has to use a wheelchair, but I think it's fantastic that Mattel included a child-sized chair in their lineup.

There's another big category of diversity that I haven't even talked about yet, and that's the LGBTQ spectrum.

This is not an easy thing to convey with a doll, since the way someone looks or dresses isn't necessarily indicative of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  However, Mattel has done a good job of designing dolls that celebrate the LGBTQ community.  

This doll, who I saw at the Toys R Us in American Dream is a good example:

My picture is pretty bad, so here's the stock image, too:

This character's rainbow coat and gender neutral undergarments hint at an LGBTQ identity in a joyful, unspecific way.

The whole BMR line feels non-binary as well, with their gender-neutral clothing and hair:

There's an LGBTQ Barbie doll whose identity is very clear, though, and I'd like to end the review by featuring her.  

This doll is a tribute to the beautiful Laverne Cox, and she is the first transgender Barbie:

Laverne Cox Tribute Collection Barbie, $45.

I know Laverne Cox from her award-winning role on Orange is the New Black, but she's also a producer, writer and activist:

Here's a closer look if you want to read the whole paragraph:

The doll is packaged nicely against a black and pink cardboard backdrop with a small photo of the real Laverne:

I love Ms. Cox's quote: "it's important with all the messages that might tell you otherwise, that you have it within yourself to say that 'I am smart, I am beautiful, I am amazing, I am enough.'"

Amen.

Laverne comes with a clear plastic stand, but she rarely needs it:

She's wearing an extraordinary wine-red dress with a pleather corset and a dramatic tulle skirt.

Here she is from the back:

Her hair has a pretty mix of colors, but it was a matted mess right out of the box:

Laverne has her own unique face mold that kind-of resembles the actress:

She has realistically-sized eyes that are close-set against a broad nose.  She has elegant, understated silvery eye makeup behind long lashes, and her face is brightened by a friendly, toothy smile and full lips:

I brushed Laverne's hair to remove the clumps, but I left the stiff curl on the right side of her face in tact for now:

That curl is a little weird.

The hair is soft saran and looks much better after its been brushed!

Laverne comes with silver gemstone earrings, and these have removable protective plastic discs in between the earring and the head:

Laverne sports the muscular Superhero Barbie body (like Black Label Wonder Woman), with double-jointed elbows and knees that give her great flexibility:

Her red dress is absolutely glorious.  I love the drama of the full tulle skirt!

And there are gaps in the tulle on either side that allow a silvery jumpsuit to peek through:

Laverne did not want to stop posing in her beautiful dress, and I did not complain!

The imitation leather corset is a separate piece:

And underneath, the dress has an asymmetric tulle bodice:

Under the dress, Laverne is wearing a white strapless jumpsuit with a shimmering glitter pattern:

Her high-heeled shoes are built into the feet of the jumpsuit:

I think Laverne had even more fun modeling this slinky outfit!

Once I'd taken a lot of pictures with Laverne's hair in its factory set, I finally brushed out that strange curl in the front.  

I think this looks a lot better:

And as cool as that leather corset is, I prefer the dress without it:

Which of course gives Laverne yet another look to model!

What an amazing doll.

I wanted to end the review by letting all of the characters from today get together and mingle for a while, and for that event, Laverne thought it would be best if she changed back into the simplest version of her outfit:

As everybody gathered, the first thing that happened was Rebecca ran up to meet Laverne.  I think Rebecca mistook the actress for a princess!

Laverne was excited to meet Lucia, too, because she couldn't believe how fast Lucia can walk with her prosthetic leg: 

Lucia, in turn, wanted to meet Lena, because she thinks they might be related:

Definitely related.

Meanwhile, Lena was excited to try out some of her ASL on Justine:

But Justine only wanted to dance around with Chloe, who was the life of the party!

Chloe made sure Nikki was wheeled into the center of the action:

And Naomi made her feel very welcome there:

Tansy thought Naomi's skin patterns were the coolest thing she'd ever seen:

But the teddy bear that Rebecca gave her was the biggest hit:

...that is, until she saw Stella's necklace:

Stella got along with everyone.  She bonded with Lucia over their "bionic" legs:

And she giggled over their height difference.

She also decided that Laverne gives the best hugs of all time:

I'll end with one of my favorite pictures of the day, and one that sums up the happiness I felt as I got to know this wonderful, diverse group of dolls.  Here are Justine and Rebecca sharing a joyful embrace: 

Bottom line?  I mentioned at the beginning that this would be less of a review and more of a showcase, so I have just a few things to say.  I've never really paid much attention to Mattel's Fashionista line.  This is mostly because the dolls are so minimally articulated; I just assumed that I wouldn't have any fun with dolls who lack arm and leg joints.  But I was wrong.  What I missed is that it's within the Fashionista line that Barbie's diversity, equity, and inclusivity are exploding.  And that's a wonderful thing to see.

I spend so much time critiquing little things like number of joints, hair quality, clothing construction, eye realism...you know the drill.  But for the past several days, it has felt really good to just relax and enjoy some of the amazing characters that exist in Barbie's world.

I love the idea of dolls like Justine, Naomi, Rebecca, Lucia, Stella, Chloe, Nikki, Tansy, and Laverne in the hands of little kids.  Not just the kids who look at one of these characters and see themselves, but also the kids who look at these dolls and see something very different.  I feel like people are born with open hearts and open minds, and if the diversity of humanity is normalized and not demonized, those hearts and minds will remain open forever.

Barbie might not have started out as a beacon for inclusivity, but she has changed with the times and evolved into a leader.  Her message certainly comes through loud and clear with the dolls I showed you today--as it does with the dozens that I didn't have time to include: we're all different, we're all valuable, nobody is perfect, and beauty is everywhere.