Playing with Inclusivity

A Barbie Story

Barbie has been an icon of doll play for nearly 65 years. Initially welcomed with open arms and wallets, the blond bombshell doll was (largely) beloved for decades. In some of those later decades of her plastic life, the doll (makers) began to be criticized for objectifying women and creating unrealistic beauty standards. Justifiably so.

I had ballerina Barbie, a skipper and a couple of Barbie-like “friend” dolls growing up, but I wasn’t overly into Barbie. For one thing, it is a toy that always requires “more.” No one buys the doll and just plays with her, you need to buy her more clothes, more accessories, even houses and vehicles. And more things were not exactly in our family budget growing up. Also, without anyone explaining representation to young Leigh-Anne, I don’t think I never truly connected with the tiny-waisted blond Barbie that much. So, playing Barbies didn’t take up a huge amount of my childhood.

As an adult, I’ve followed Barbie trends over the past couple decades as an interested observer, especially since I recognize the importance of play — and how children play — in the formation of their understanding of themselves and the world around them. I was glad when Barbie began venturing into work and life paths beyond those traditionally designated as women’s careers or roles. Sure, Barbie could be a ballerina, teacher, or cosmetologist (running her own salon), but Mattel eventually understood that she also could be a veterinarian, a scientist, a doctor, or an astronaut. Her accessories and playsets branched out from beauty tools, beach party supplies, and a pool while her wardrobe expanded to include practical work attire and uniforms as well as swimsuits, ballgowns, and cocktail dresses.

In the last decade or so, Barbie’s parent Mattel has made significant efforts to focus on diversity and inclusivity. Even as an adult, I find myself far more interested in Barbie now that the line goes beyond the original suntanned, “perfectly proportioned” Barbie and Ken dolls. The fact that they’ve added male and female dolls with different skin color and hair types, different heights and body proportions, and different abilities or disabilities, makes the line and potential play far more interesting to the 10-year-old deep inside of me. (I was excited to see more plus sized dolls on the market, especially when seeing some represented as fit regardless of their size.)

Mattel worked with the National Down Syndrome Society in developing the new Barbie design and note that the doll with Down Syndrome features was reviewed by a medical professional. As for the entire line, it boasts 9 body types, 35 skin tones, and 97 different hair types/styles and includes an amputee with an artificial limb as well as Barbies with mobility support tools.

“Little kids are the most curious in all the best ways. And, I don’t know when humans go from curiosity to judgement, but when you can catch them at curious and answer those questions: what is Down Syndrome? What [does] someone with Down Syndrome look like? What makes them different? What makes them the same? …You start with toys, right. You’re starting with kids who are stepping into the world curious.”

Although she’s specifically speaking to the newly released doll, this is true of all the sizes and colors of dolls represented in the fashionista line. The dolls provide a fun tool for parents to use to explain differences and similarities while also enabling children with those characteristics to see themselves in their toys in a positive way.

In a related note, while not part of the Barbie line or brand, Mattel does have a line of gender neutral dolls under the brand Creatable World. The dolls are designed without specific female or male genetic traits, much like pre-pubescent children themselves (no obvious breasts, nipped waists, broad shoulders, or facial hair), enabling kids to use their imaginations and identify and define their dolls as they see fit.

Now, we all know that companies are in business to make money. Responding to trends and public interests, and adapting products that will appeal to a wider audience or to another segment of the population is just good business, but that doesn’t mean that money and market share are the only goals. Companies, after all, are made up of people, including parents, who make decisions and pursue goal that can be both positive and profitable.

“This research provides the first evidence that social processing brain regions are similarly active during pretend play with dolls both when playing alone or with a social partner. The fact that pSTS activation is stronger for doll play than tablet play specifically when playing alone is consistent with the notion that pretend play allows children to practice social interactions even when playing by themselves.”

The takeaway being that children, especially those with diverse dolls, who learn to play in an inclusive way are practicing and will learn how to socially engage with individuals who are different from themselves as they grow up.

I would encourage readers to learn about the Kenneth and Mamie Clark Doll Study conducted in the 1940s, the results of which would be used by the NAACP to support the case for the desegregation (integration) of schools. I still remember how I felt when I read about the study results.

Even today, many biases uncovered in this study are still evident in minority children today. Positive representation in toys can play a role in continuing to empower Black children who view themselves as “less than” in our society.

I was inspired to write on this topic after seeing the news stories about the new doll’s release. If you enjoyed this post, please consider giving me a clap…or even a round of applause, and follow me for more stories, poems, reviews, and more.

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