Six decades after the first one was released Barbie, Mattel launches the first blind doll. The US toymaker said the new Barbie, which is available online and on store shelves from today, was created to help children who are blind or visually impaired feel represented in society.

“We recognize that Barbie is much more than just a doll. It represents self-expression and can create a sense of belonging.” senior vice president Krista Berger said in a statement.

The company worked with the American Foundation for the Blind to ensure that everything from the doll’s eyes to the clothes to the braille packaging accurately portrays people with blindness and low vision.

The doll holds a white and red cane with a candy on top, while the eyes look up and out to capture the characteristic look of a blind person while wearing sunglasses on her head. Unlike other models, this doll has bent elbows so she can comfortably use her cane.

Lucy Edwards, a disability rights campaigner and presenter who is blind and appears in the campaign with the new Barbie, said the launch of the doll meant “everything to her”, adding: “As a teenager, I felt isolated by losing my sight and not seeing role models like me. I was ashamed of my cane, but knowing that Barbie had a cane would make me feel so differently about mine and help me feel less alone in my journey to accept and embrace my blindness.”

Barbie

As reported by the Guardian, the company is also launching the first black Barbie with Down syndrome as a white doll was released in last year’s range.