Mattel Models Barbie After Black Scientist: Inclusive Dolls We Should Have Had Growing Up

Mattel has manufactured a black, scientist Barbie doll to celebrate Dr Maggie Aderin Peacock. These black and inclusive barbie dolls have been launched as an encouragement to study STEM subjects. To anyone reading who grew up playing with barbie, black and inclusive barbie dolls are not even a distant dream. 

If you look at the bodies around you, they are all shaped and coloured differently. However, this is not the case with barbie dolls. 

Barbie dolls are white, zero sizes, and do not function long-term without Ken. Well, thanks to Mattel's Barbie, girls can now bid farewell to that stereotype. 

This new black Barbie is the look-alike of Dr Maggie Aderin Peacock. The doll is seen in a purple starry dress with a telescope as an accessory. On that note, girls can also emulate switching that handbag for good now, should they wish to. 

Dr Peacock is a science communicator and a British scientist who gained popularity for her BBC show 'The Sky at Night.' 

Dr Peacock shares that as a young girl like many others, she did not have the honour to play with a Barbie doll that resembled her. Therefore, she hopes that Mattel's Black Barbie is a beacon of hope for the underrepresented sections of young girls and the understanding that STEM subjects are every bit within their grasp. 

Mattel's understanding of the latter has led to the commitment to releasing a marine biologist Barbie sometime later in 2023. 

Suggested Read: Barbie comes up with new dolls that break stereotypes

Black and Inclusive Barbie Dolls 

White Washed Barbies clutching onto Ken can have a detrimental impact on the development of young girls from diverse backgrounds. 

Not all girls are white. Neither do all of them have blonde hair and a zero size. However, the picture painted in the above two lines is the quintessential image of Barbie. 

Young girls hailing from different races play with Barbie dolls and grow up hating their own features for not resembling Barbie's. They do not feel beautiful in their skin. 

They start detesting the texture of their hair for being curly and black and not straight and blonde like Barbie's. They begin detesting their bodies for not having long legs or slim waistlines like that of Barbie. 

The next time they get rejected by their crushes they will blame themselves for not looking Barbie enough to attract a Ken. 

Young girls should be taught to love their hair. They should be taught to love their bodies. The societal perception of white-washed Barbies should not be allowed to bring down the confidence of young girls. 

Young girls should be taught that a handbag is not the only accessory that they can carry. 

Black and inclusive Barbie dolls are representative of marginalised sections. They welcome body positivity into the narrative and allow little girls to admire their differently shaped bodies. The dolls encourage young girls to dream big with their careers. 

Black and inclusive Barbie dolls are essential today for every little girl's frown to be replaced by 'She looks like me!' 

We have enough advertisements, magazines, and people telling young girls what they should look like and do. Black and inclusive barbie dolls oppose this ideal and encourage young girls to find their own North. 

Little girls should be taught that every brown is beautiful and so are different shapes. They should be taught to follow their paths without clutching onto a Ken. 

The views expressed are the author's own.