‘Why I Bought A Barbie In My 30s’ Woman’s Post On Disability Representation Goes Viral!

There is no denial that childhood was the best phase of our life. Indeed, the toys that we used to play with bring out our fondest memories from that golden period. And Barbie has been a constant phenomenon for children all over the world, for ages. As kids, Barbie was (and continues to be) a favorite for pre-teens worldwide. Some simply adored her, while others wished to grow up to be like her.

GIF source

Despite certain obvious pitfalls (read unrealistic beauty standards), the traditional Barbie doll has come a long way. Mattel Inc., the American company that conceptualizes and manufactures the dolls had introduced them in virtually all ethnicity over the past few years. This did make headway in helping kids realize that there’s no set mold for beauty- it comes in all shapes, sizes, ethnicity and features.

Image Source

Recently, a wheelchair-using woman noticed a Barbie in a toy-store and straight up teared up. If you’re wondering what invoked such a strong reaction, you’re not alone. The woman penned a heartfelt post after spotting a wheelchair user Barbie. See for yourself-

I’m in my 30s, and I just cried in a toy store. Because I finally found a wheelchair user Barbie. I’ve never had a…

Posted by Gin & Lemonade on Saturday, August 24, 2019

Barbie now has a series of dolls that use the wheelchair and prosthetic limbs and Lorna couldn’t be more proud. The woman who goes by the name Gin & Lemonade on social media, shared her emotional experience and her words started a meaningful conversation about representation for people with disbilities and our inclusiveness as a society.

“My point is, my wish is, kids will finally get to see that we don’t need to work ourselves out of our wheelchairs to be seen. We matter as we are.”

This post soon went viral and people’s reactions began to flood in, many agreed with Lorna.

Lorna went on to reveal in an update that she actually bought the doll! Referring the the old rendition of ‘Becky’, Barbie’s wheelchair-bound friend, here’s what she had to say-

“To me, Becky was tokenism. She was the one on the outside looking in at everyone else having fun. Becky did little to promote the inclusion of disabled people. Because let’s not forget, the Dreamhouse didn’t have a ramp, and Becky’s medicalized chair didn’t fit through the door.

Details count.

This Barbie is in an active chair. With wheels that move, bendable joints to drive, and sensible yet stylish shoes. And she has a ramp.”

This really goes to show how important representation is to people. It helps us normalize disability and feel more confident about ourselves. Such inclusive toys are the need of the hour and we hope other toy brands in the market follow suit and churn out toys to represent every child in society!

Cover Image: Left

📣 Storypick is now on Telegram! Click here to join our channel (@storypick) and never miss another great story.