TRADITIONALLY, women and gender-diverse people were less likely to be identified as autistic because they didn’t fit the stereotype of how autism “should” look. This generalisation was based on research conducted with mostly young,

Alongside the announcement, Mattel partnered with various women and girls on the autism spectrum to help introduce the doll and open up about life with autism, including Precious Hill, a 32-year-old mother from Las Vegas who discovered she was autistic during her 5-year-old daughter Mikko’s diagnostic journey.

Mattel unveiled its first autistic Barbie as part of its Fashionista line, working with the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, sparking joy for a local woman.

Autism advocates have had mixed reactions to the release of an autism Barbie, designed to increase awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity in children, particularly girls. American toymaker Mattel announced the new doll this week,

Experts say there is no single ‘look’ to being autistic, so the Barbie that Mattel created can’t represent everyone

Autistic Barbie has sparked both joy and unease among autistic adults as Mattel’s new doll lands in stores and online, marking a moment of representation many say they needed as children, and a move others fear risks cementing stereotypes the community has fought to dismantle.