First Barbie With Hearing Aids

First Barbie

With Hearing Aids

In June 2022, Mattel released its first-ever Barbie doll with hearing aids. Lisa McKnight, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, said in a news release that “children should also be encouraged to play with dolls that don’t resemble them to help them understand and celebrate the importance of inclusion.”1

Benefits for Kids

By releasing a doll that wears hearing aids, the company is raising awareness and teaching kids about diversity. Not only does it make them more aware about the differences a friend or family member might have, it also lets them be more comfortable with their own hearing aids and feel less isolated from their hearing peers. Barbie has been making more and more of an effort to highlight diversity and inclusion in recent years, for example with the release of a wheelchair-using Barbie in 2019.

Photo credit: Mattel Giving Hope and Celebrating Diversity

Mattel has been pushing boundaries throughout most of its 63-year history. It was the first to offer female dolls in male-dominated professions, like the first soldier Barbie and the first athlete and Olympic medallist Barbie. The company has also begun to incorporate body and ethnic diversity into its collection in recent years. The new dolls give young kids a wide variety of inspiring role models while celebrating diversity, inclusion, and self-improvement. This Barbie with hearing aids is certainly a big step forward for hearing-impaired children.

Noémie Rocque

Editor and Communications Advisor

Reference 1. Dolan, L. (2022, May 12). Barbie unveils its first-ever doll with hearing aids. CTV News. https://www.ctvnews.ca/lifestyle/ barbie-unveils-its-first-ever-doll-with-hearing-aids-1.5899681

An assessment by an audioprosthetist is required to determine which hearing aid suits the patient’s needs.

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