Recently, Mattel started to add a lot of Barbies with different characteristics. Barbies with hearing aids, diabetes, prosthetic leg, vitiligo and many more. On January 12, they released a brand-new one: an autistic Barbie.

The autistic Barbie included many features that are supposed to represent the reality of a person with autism.  The doll’s elbows and wrists can move, so it can flap its hands and make other gestures that some autistic people use to show excitement or express feelings. It also comes with pink-cancelling headphones, a fidget spinner, and a communication tablet.

Autism can manifest in individuals who show signs of obsessive interest in something, a strong preference for following a routine, and other things.

Despite some parents’ delight at seeing representation on the toy shelf, others find it really offensive to just assume that autism looks a certain way. “When I learned about this doll, I was so happy, but then I realized that the way it was represented was nothing like my autistic child. I felt frustrated that they think all autistic children look the same.”    ” I love this idea of including Barbie with different characteristics so some child can feel seen.”

Parents are buying fewer products, which causes Mattel’s sales to steadily decline, dropping by 26%

Is she a hero for inclusion or just a political stunt? It depends on who you ask. But one thing is for sure: this Barbie is making a lot of noise without saying a single word.