In January, toymaker Mattel released the very first autistic Barbie doll. She’s wearing a loose purple dress and headphones. Her eyes are slightly averted, and she’s holding a communication tablet and a fidget spinner — all outward signs that represent some of the different ways autistic people experience the world.
The doll, designed with expertise from autistic people, invites more children — and adults, for that matter — to see parts of themselves in the iconic doll. As any kid who has ever played make-believe with a doll knows, stories can entertain, captivate, soothe and scare us. They shape how we see other people and ourselves.