Mattel and, more specifically, Barbie, have been taking massive strides towards inclusivity in recent years.
In May 2022, in honour of her 50th birthday, Mattel released a Barbie doll inspired by Laverne Cox. The first Barbie made inspired by a transgender person.
Now there are many more in the works.
Who is Rose Ayling-Ellis?
Rose Ayling-Ellis is a British actress best known for her role as Frankie Lewis on the soap EastEnders. In 2021 she won Strictly Come Dancing with her professional partner Giovanni Pernice.
On week eight of Strictly Come Dancing, Ayling-Ellis and Pernice included a dance dedicated to the deaf community in which the music cut out halfway thorough and the couple continued to dance. That moment earned the 2022 British Academy Television for Virgin TV’s Must-See Moment.
Now Ayling-Ellis is partnering with Mattel to create a diverse range of Barbie dolls.
A new Barbie line
Ayling-Ellis wrote on Instagram, ‘When I was little, I would draw hearing aids onto my Barbie dolls to make them look like me – now deaf children don’t have to!’
The doll that Ayling-Ellis is modelling with behind-the-ear hearing aids was developed with the help of hearing loss advocate and educational audiologist, Dr. Jen Richardson.
This new line of dolls is set to be released in June 2022.
It will include dolls with prosthetic legs, vitiligo, in wheelchairs as well as dolls with a variety of body types.
In an interview with People Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel, Lisa McKnight said:
‘Barbie wholeheartedly believes in the power of representation, and as the most diverse doll line on the market, we are committed to continuing to introduce dolls featuring a range of skin tones, body types and disabilities to reflect the diversity kids see in the world around them.’