PIC: Barbie launches Chelsea doll with Scoliosis

Barbie has always been a role model for kids across the globe, and many a young girl and boy aspired to be just like her and Ken.

In recent years, the Barbie range has become much more inclusive to mirror the world around us.   

In May 2022, Mattel, the toy company who owns Barbie, released a range of dolls in their Fashionista line which included a Barbie with behind the ear hearing aids, a Ken doll with vitiligo, a doll with a prosthetic leg and Ken options with rooted short hair.

Barbie’s little sister gets inclusive line

According to the Division of Orthopedics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia more than 100,000 children are diagnosed with scoliosis each year in the U.S alone.

This figure inspired the designers over at Barbie to create a doll with curvature in the spine and a removable back brace.

“With the release of Chelsea with Scoliosis, Barbie hopes to better reflect the world around us for all kids to see themselves in play, while also normalizing the wearing of a back brace,” a statement from Mattel read on Wednesday.

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Lisa McKnight, executive vice-president and global head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel, said the Chelsea doll with scoliosis marks an important step in the brand’s journey in increasing representation by adding more variety in looks and providing infinitely more ways to spark imagination.

“We believe in the power of representation and are committed to creating dolls in a variety of looks so that kids can see themselves in Barbie – and now, in a line celebrating Barbie’s little sister Chelsea. We’re proud to launch the first-ever Chelsea doll with a removable back brace to continue to be more reflective of the world kids see around them. Our Chelsea line provides infinitely more ways to spark storytelling, all while providing kids with a way to develop their empathy and social processing skills through doll play.”

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Board Certified Neurosurgeon and specialist in children’s complex spinal disorders Dr. Luke Macyszyn worked with Barbie on the development of the Chelsea with scoliosis doll to ensure the accuracy of her shape and spinal alignment.