Type 1 Diabetes Barbie Introduced

Last Tuesday, Jul 8, 2025, a Barbie with type 1 diabetes was created. The creators, Mattel, hope that this new Barbie will make people with special conditions more confident and comfortable. In the past few years, this company has also made blind barbies and barbies with Down Syndrome. The Barbies are made to give the owners confidence in themselves and to know that they aren’t alone.

Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s sugar levels to go too high. This usually happens after one person eats too many sweets, causing their body to work harder than normal in order to process the unnecessary sugars. After some time, the body slowly gets worn down and doesn’t work as well, leading to diabetes. Like normal people with diabetes, this Barbie has an insulin pump as well as a glucose monitor to view the amount of sugar in her body. The insulin pump calculates how much more insulin the person needs and gives the same amount. This new Barbie has a blue polka dot skirt and shirt. The reason Mattel chose the color blue was to show diabetes awareness and promote donations to help people with diabetes.

Mattel decided to sell this new Barbie because they want other children around the world to show empathy to those with special conditions. They also aim to raise awareness among the adults and kids who have to go through this pain. According to BBC News, “Hollie, from Cleethorpes, whose 14-year-old son Will lives with the condition, said it was ‘breaking down the stigma’ around diabetes.” Other parents with children who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes say that it will encourage the child to embrace the change and have other children around them respect them. It will also give the child a sense of protection. For example, people with special conditions are often looked down upon, but this Barbie shows that those people are equal to everybody else.

This new Barbie that Mattel recently released already has a profound effect on those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and the people surrounding them. The doll allows type 1 diabetes children to have their case reflected in a popular way. This increases the trust they have in themselves and a sense of belonging. Looking from another point of view, those without this condition will slowly understand this condition and find that it is not something that should be feared or misunderstood. The doll can also be used as a tool to educate people on the causes and effects of type 1 diabetes. This helps those people without the condition understand and have empathy for those with the condition.