Barbie Fashionistas Doll # 208, Barbie Doll with Down Syndrome Wearing Floral Dress, Created in Partnership with the National Down Syndrome Society, HJT05

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Stimulant drugs including cocaine, MDMA and multiple types of amphetamines contributed to roughly half of all accidental overdose deaths in Canada from 2020 to 2021, according to a new report by Statistics Canada that also tracked a sharp rise in overdoses. Barbie® partnered with the National Down Syndrome Society to design a doll that celebrates this community. For decades after its debut in 1959, Barbie dolls continued to be light-skinned -- white -- slender, blonde, with a very narrow waist, ample bosom and always teetering on impossibly high heels. National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is a human rights organization that works closely with individuals with Down syndrome and their families. We are proud to introduce a Barbie doll with Down syndrome to better reflect the world around us and further our commitment to celebrating inclusion through play," she said.

Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. Reactions were mixed following an announcement that students at Canora Junior Elementary School would not be sporting spooky costumes but celebrating harvest on Oct. Ellie Goldstein, a British model with Down’s syndrome who has appeared in a campaign with the new Barbie, said she was “so happy” to see the new doll.

The new doll is part of Mattel Barbie Fashionistas line, which aims to offer kids more diverse representations of beauty and fight the stigma around physical disabilities. We look forward to seeing her on the shelves alongside Barbies who wear hearing aids, use wheelchairs, and celebrate inclusion. The move was welcomed by charities, with Carol Boys, chief executive of the UK Down’s Syndrome Association, saying: “Children in our community will be able to play with a doll that represents them. Seeing the doll, I felt so overwhelmed – it meant a lot to me and I’m so honoured and proud that Barbie chose me to show the doll to the world. As the most diverse doll line on the market, Barbie plays an important role in a child’s early experiences, and we are dedicated to doing our part to counter social stigma through play.

NDSS creates resources to support individuals with Down syndrome, their families and caregivers across the lifespan and hosts community events throughout the country including the National Buddy Walk® Program, the Times Square Video presentation and New York City Buddy Walk®, Racing for 3. Kandi Pickard, president and CEO of NDSS, said it was an “honour” to work with Barbie on the new doll. The new face sculpt features a rounder shape, smaller ears, and a flat nasal bridge, while the eyes are slightly slanted in an almond shape. That included shaping the doll's body to include a shorter frame and longer torso and a round face that features smaller ears and almond-shaped, slanted eyes, the NDSS said in their announcement.As the only charity in the UK supporting all aspects of Down’s Syndrome, we often hear from families who feel their children are not represented enough in the mainstream media,” she said.

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. The collaboration meant that key details such as the sculpting of the doll, which features a short frame and longer torso, were in line with what a person with Down syndrome looks like. This step toward inclusivity is long overdue given that the first Barbie was launched in 1959 and about 6,000 babies are born with Down syndrome in the US each year, per the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Even her pink neckless includes a pendant with three arrows, representing the third 21st chromosome that people with Down syndrome have. The new model has already sparked positive reactions from those who have Down syndrome, including British model Ellie Goldstein.General Motors and Jeep maker Stellantis are meeting with United Auto Workers bargainers Thursday to see if they can reach a contract agreement that mirrors a deal signed with crosstown rival Ford.