Daily Herald opinion: A worthy test of boundaries: Mattel's latest Barbie gets a much-needed conversation going

The first Barbie doll depicted with autism is on the shelves, and because it’s Barbie a lot of conversation is being generated.

Much of the talk is from people who live in this often-marginalized community, along with parents, medical professionals and researchers, teachers and the like. For them, the wide spectrum of autism isn’t water-cooler conversation; it’s their lives and life’s work. And whether they approve of Barbie’s depiction or believe that it falls short of representing many aspects of autism in girls — still a far-smaller group than boys — there is value in hearing their voices.

As passionate debate continues about the dramatic rise in autism diagnoses over the past 20 years, the Mattel toy company has released its latest Barbie, one that attempts to present autistic girls with a recognizable counterpart to their own lives. A Daily Herald article on Barbie this week gave voice to suburban doctors and therapists, who largely praise the latest Mattel product and its Fashionista line, which features inclusive and diverse dolls that “express personality through fashion.”

Reporter Matt Brady spoke with Netali Chopra, CEO and executive director of Bridgeview Clinical Services in Naperville, who said that through the doll, more conversations can be had about self-acceptance and self-expression. “I’m really loving the way that Barbie is continuing to evolve,” she added, giving Mattel props for shifting over the years from the old Barbie paradigm where “we have to be perfect,” to a more realistic portrayal of womankind.

Moreover, Mattel didn’t just take a stab in the dark with their latest venture, but in designing Barbie they partnered for 18 months with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a national organization formed in 2006 that is run by and for autistic people.

Barbie gets the most attention, what with her being an American icon and all, but this latest doll has its roots in a larger movement in toy production that took hold during the pandemic, focusing on social and emotional development at a time when children’s routines were going off the rails. In 2020 Mattel released a doll called Breathe With Me Barbie, who guided children in meditation exercises; other toymakers produced different wellness-themed dolls, including ones that did yoga. When kids started going back to brick and mortar schools, toy production shifted into objects that calmed their anxieties, like Big Feelings Pineapple, with dozens of emotions that children could relate to.

Autism is not a physically visible condition, and the most frequent criticism of Barbie is that autism has such a broad spectrum it would be impossible to nail down a “look” that covers everybody, that would allow all autistic girls to feel seen. Other critics worry that what some autistic kids might find liberating, others will find boundary-inducing.

Barbie wears a lavender dress with white pinstripes, and her accessories include noise-canceling headphones, a fidget spinner and a tablet with augmentative and alternative communication — items that many, but not all, autistic kids use, according to Colin Killick, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

“We wanted to make sure that autistic kids could see those aspects of themselves represented if they use those‒ which not all autistic people do, but many do‒ and that those who weren't autistic could see those things and learn about them in a fun and creative way,” Killick told USA Today.

We’re not dismissing these concerns, even as we declare that helping some young girls with autism to feel validated is a worthy occupation in and of itself. Moreover, since the overwhelming numbers of autism diagnoses involve boys, anything that shines a spotlight on girls on the spectrum is good for everybody.

Even if that just means ramping up the conversation. Thanks, Mattel, for getting us talking.