For years Barbie looked the same. She was tall, slender, and usually had brown or blonde hair, but times have changed and Barbie has become more diverse to represent more people.
For Christmas, Ella Rogers’ family wanted to give her a doll that looked just like her. The two-year-old was born with spina bifida, a birth defect where the baby’s spinal cord doesn’t develop fully.
Ella’s mother, Lacey said she purchased a doll from Mattel’s new Fashionista line because the doll was in a wheelchair, just like Ella.
“Mattel has included my daughter,” she said. “As somebody that has a special needs child, that means the world to them.”
When Ella received the doll, she was extremely excited to say the least. Watch her reaction in the video below.
Even though the two-year-old is non-verbal, it’s clear that Ella loved receiving a Barbie that looked like her.
“It brings me a lot of joy,” Lacey said. “It brings them a lot of joy as well because they can relate. It’s not just a Barbie that stands. It’s a Barbie in a wheelchair.”
“It helps them feel like they’re included.”
Look at Ella’s face! My wish is for every child to feel this special when they see a doll that looks like them.
Share this if you want to see every child represented!
