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TAMPA, Fla. - A new Barbie doll is making headlines for inclusiveness, and two women from the Tampa Bay area are helping lead the conversation.
Mattel this week introduced an "Autistic Barbie," the latest addition to the company’s diversity-focused lineup. To mark the release, the toy maker spotlighted Madison Marilla and Aarushi Pratap, both young women with autism who are from the Tampa Bay area, as official Barbie role models.
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"I would describe myself as outgoing," Marilla said in a promotional video. "Autism is a journey, not a disorder."
Pratap shares that sense of pride in her neurodivergence.
"[Autism is my] superpower, and it makes me proud," Pratap said.
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Big picture view:
Both women were featured in a Mattel promotional campaign announcing the rollout of the new doll, a moment they describe as deeply meaningful.
"It was my dream come true," Pratap said.
For Marilla, the experience connects back to a lifelong love of dolls.
"I’ve collected Disney Barbies since I was four years old," she said. "Little did I realize that there’d be an autistic Barbie coming out when I would be an adult."
"Dolls have been my comfort. They help keep me stable," Marilla added.
Pratap also grew up watching Barbie movies and drawing elaborate dresses; to this day, these are inspirations that influence her work.
"I watched the Barbie movies when I get back from the school many times," she said. "I was inspired by… I draw the ballgown dresses and flamboyant dresses."
The Autistic Barbie is designed to represent how some people with autism experience the world. The doll includes noise-canceling headphones, loose-fitting clothing, a communication tablet, flexible elbows and joints to mimic stimming, short for self-stimulating behavior, and a divergent gaze, which can be common among people with autism.
Mattel said the doll expands a diversity-focused line that already includes Barbies with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, and Barbie and Ken figures with vitiligo.
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Dig deeper:
Those early drawings became the foundation of Pratap’s career. She was non-verbal at the time, but art helped her communicate and grow into an award-winning fashion designer who has since been featured at Paris and New York Fashion Weeks.
"Art can help me, to bring out my voice," Pratap said.
Marilla, meanwhile, was a teacher before gaining national attention on Netflix’s "Love on the Spectrum," where she met her boyfriend, Tyler.
"These girls that I taught and girls that I mentored, they would be happy to see an autistic Barbie," Marilla said.
What they're saying:
A pediatric psychiatry expert with USF Health said inclusive toys can play an important role in shaping how children view themselves and others.
"I think seeing neurodiversity in toys can help dispel stereotypes and show children that neurodiverse people are just as capable, just as valuable and deserving of respect as anyone else," said Dr. Heather Agazzi.
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That message is exactly what Marilla and Pratap hope children with autism take away from the new doll.
"It’s most important to feel loved and acceptance and proud," Pratap said.
"It’s nothing to be ashamed of," Marilla added. "It’s something to be proud of."
What's next:
Beyond the Barbie release, Marilla and her husband Tyler were recently named grand marshals for this year’s Gasparilla Children’s Parade — another milestone they said reflects growing visibility and acceptance.
The Source: Information in this article comes from Mattel promotional materials, interviews with Madison Marilla and Aarushi Pratap, expert commentary from USF Health, and reporting on the release of the new Autistic Barbie.