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Barbie and Ken as you've never seen them before: Mattel adds hearing aids, colorful prosthetic limbs, and skin conditions to better reflect body diversity
Barbie and Ken as you've never seen them before: Mattel adds hearing aids, colorful prosthetic limbs, and skin conditions to better reflect body diversity
Kate DuffySep 1, 2022, 16:32 IST
Mattel, the maker of Barbie, introduced new dolls to its diverse line.Mattel
Mattel, the maker of Barbie, has launched a range with hearing aids and skin conditions.
The move shows how far Barbie has come from when she made her debut in 1959.
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Mattel, the toy company that makes Barbie, has launched a new line of dolls in the UK to reflect body diversity and be more inclusive.
Mattel
The first Barbie doll in 1959 wore a striped swimsuit, red lipstick, and had a blonde ponytail.
Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images
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One of the new Barbie dolls has a hot-pink hearing aid, clearly shown by her hair scraped back in a ponytail.
Mattel
One of the Ken dolls is the first to represent a skin condition called vitiligo, when the skin loses pigment.
Mattel
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Although it's not the first Barbie doll to have a wheelchair, Mattel said it added another version to the range.
Mattel
Another Barbie doll in the Fashionista line has a prosthetic leg. This isn't the first Barbie to have a prosthetic limb, but it comes in brighter colors than before.
Mattel
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Here are some other Barbie dolls in the Fashionista line, representing different nationalities, races, and body types.
Mattel
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling shooting scenes for the "Barbie" movie in Venice Beach, Los Angeles in June.