“It’s so important for young people with autism to see authentic and joyful expressions of themselves, and this doll is just that,” said the executive director of the Autism Self-Advocacy Network.
See Barbie’s first autistic doll
Barbie expands its Fashionistas collection with the first autistic Barbie doll. Features flexible joints and sensory-sensitive dress fabric.
Barbie is launching its first autism doll to represent how people with autism spectrum disorders experience the world around them, USA TODAY exclusively reveals.
The doll, part of Barbie’s Fashionista line, includes intentional design choices such as flexible elbow and hand joints to stimulate repetitive body movements that people with autism make to process sensory information.
Barbie doll accessories also reflect what some autistic people sport, including noise-cancelling headphones, loose-fitting clothing, and a tablet with augmentative and alternative communication apps.
Mattel said the doll has been in development for more than 18 months in partnership with the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, a nonprofit disability rights organization dedicated to empowering the autism community.
Barbie doll will be available starting January 12th at Mattel Shops and Target for a suggested retail price of $11.87. It will then be rolled out to Walmart stores nationwide in March.
Autism in the spotlight
The new Barbie doll comes as the autism community is in the national spotlight over controversial claims made by President Donald Trump’s administration.
In September 2025, President Trump and his top health officials announced that Tylenol use during pregnancy may contribute to the development of autism in children, a position long opposed by many in the medical community.
Health organizations and other medical professionals around the world have not found a definitive link between Tylenol and autism, but that hasn’t stopped some in the autism community from supporting efforts to find a cure and why their child has autism.
Meanwhile, depictions of autistic people are increasing in popular culture, thanks to shows like “Love on the Spectrum” and “The Good Doctor.” And with the arrival of the new Barbie doll, people with autism will see themselves reflected in the iconic stereotypical children’s doll.
“It’s so important for young people with autism to see authentic and joyful expressions of themselves, and this doll does just that,” Colin Killick, ASAN’s executive director, said in a statement. “By partnering with Barbie, we were able to share insights and guidance throughout the design process to ensure the doll fully represents and celebrates the autism community, including tools to help us become independent.”
See new Barbie dolls with autism
Autism is not a physically visible disability. However, some people with autism rely on certain items and clothing to help them move through the world, and Barbie tried to reflect that in her dolls and accessories.
The autistic Barbie doll is designed with the gaze shifted slightly to the side, which is “intended to reflect the avoidance of direct eye contact by some members of the autism community at times,” Mattel said in a release.
Researchers have different theories as to why people with autism avoid eye contact, but most studies point to overactivity in a part of the brain known as the amygdala, according to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Each doll comes with the same accessories: pink finger clip fidget spinner, pink noise-canceling headphones, and pink tablet.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association says the tablet displays symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication apps to help people with speech, language and reading disabilities or limitations, including autism.
Barbie doll’s outfit is a loose pinstripe A-line dress and purple Mary Jane-style flats. Mattel says the dress has a flowing design to reduce fabric-to-skin contact, and the shoes offer added stability.
Barbie with autism is the latest addition to the inclusive doll series
Barbie with autism doll is the latest addition to the Barbie Fashionistas collection, which aims to be the most diverse and inclusive line of dolls. Most recently, in July 2025, Mattel released a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes.
As part of the launch of the Autism Barbie doll, Mattel also announced that it will be teaming up with several prominent figures in the autism community. Madison Marilla from Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum, mother and daughter influencers Precious and Mikko Mirage, and fashion designer Aarshi Pratap.
In a statement, they all said the new autistic Barbie doll would help others feel understood.
“I hope that when other families see this Barbie, it helps bridge the gap. I hope that they feel like they’re participating in a conversation and a space where neurotypicals already belong, because we belong here too,” Precious Mirage said.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
